What is/are the importance/importances of the ‘United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification’?
- It aims to promote effective action through innovative national programmes and supportive international partnerships.
- It has a special/particular focus on South Asia and North Africa regions, and its Secretariat facilitates the allocation of major portion of financial resources to these regions.
- It is committed to bottom-up approach, encouraging the participation of local people in combating the desertification.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
- Established in 1994, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the only international agreement that legally binds environment and development to sustainable land management.
- This convention aims to promote effective action through innovative local programmes and supportive international partnerships. Hence statement 1 is correct.
- The UNCCD prioritizes a bottom-up approach by encouraging the involvement of local communities in the efforts to combat desertification and land degradation. Therefore, statement 3 is correct.
- The implementation of the UNCCD is organized into five regional annexes: Africa, which is given priority due to the severity of desertification in the region, as well as Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Northern Mediterranean, and Central and Eastern Europe.
- It should be noted that the UNCCD secretariat does not facilitate the allocation of the majority of financial resources to the South Asia and North Africa regions. Therefore, statement 2 is not correct.
