Collaboration between the ITPS and the UNCCD-SPI

United Nations Convention

to Combat Desertification

Collaboration

between the ITPS

and the UNCCD-SPI

Fifth Working session of the

Intergovernmental Technical Panel on on

Soil (ITPS)

14-18 March 2016, Rome

Subject

At its 11th session in

Windhoek/Namibia, in

September 2013, the

Conference of the

Parties (COP) decided

to establish a Science-

Policy Interface (SPI)

(decision 23/COP.11)

When was the Science-Policy Interface

(SPI) established?

UNCCD COP.11, Sept. 2013(Photo credit: Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB))

Subject

The goal of the SPI is to facilitate a two-way

dialogue between scientists and policy

makers in order to ensure the delivery of

policy-relevant information, knowledge and

advice on desertification/land degradation

and drought (DLDD)

The SPI’s mandate and scope of activities are

designed to strengthen the work of the

scientific community working on DLDD,

including the UNCCD’s Committee on Science

and Technology

Why was the SPI established?

UNCCD COP.11, Sept. 2013(Photo: Mariam Akhtar-Schuster)

Subject

Who are the members of the SPI?

Five members of the Bureau of the Committee on Science and Technology:

Jean-Luc

Chotte

WEOG

Foued Chehat

Africa

Farah A. Ebraheem

AsiaJorge Luis Garcia

LACHamid Custovic

Central Eastern

Europe

CST chair

Five scientists, one nominated be each of the Regional Implementation Annexes:

Martial Bernoux

WEOG

Klaus Kellner

Africa

Karma Dorji

Asia

Vanina Pietragalla

LAC

Mihail Daradur

Central Eastern

Europe

Subject

Ct’d

Who are the members of the SPI?Ten scientists from different parts of the world selected by the Bureau of

the Committee on Science and Technology:

Elena Abraham Mariam Akhtar-

Schuster

Annette Cowie Joris de Vente Alan Grainger

German Kust Graciela

Metternicht

Barron J. Orr Rajendra P.

Pandey

Tao Wang

Subject

Twenty scientists from different parts of the world

Top, from left to right: Elena María Abraham, Mariam Akhtar-Schuster, Martial

Bernoux, Foued Chehat, Jean-Luc Chotte, Annette Cowie, Hamid Čustović,

Mihail Daradur, Joris de Vente, Karma Dema Dorji.

Bottom, from left to right: Farah A. Ebraheem, Jorge Luis Garcia, Alan Grainger,

Klaus Kellner, German Kust,, Graciela Metternicht, Barron Joseph Orr, Rajendra

Prasad Pandey, Vanina Pietragalla, Tao Wang.

All twenty members of the SPI

Subject

Observers to the SPI

(Jonathan Davies)

(Adamou Bouhari)

CSO representative: Nathalie van Haren (Both ENDS)

Subject

Scope of activities of the SPI (TOR)

for scientific and

/or technological

knowledge

requirements

such as:

- SPI develops a report

jointly with other experts.

- SPI commissions and

supervises an expert group

that develops a report.

- SPI collaborates jointly with

other ongoing initiatives and

develops under agreed terms

into a language/format that

is comprehensible to policy-

makers (e.g. policy briefs)

enable, promote and

facilitate use of scientific

and technological findings

for DLDD-relevant policy/

decision making

Goal

Identify needs

Select

mechanism to

address needs

Follow up

implementation

Analyse

synthesize

translate

results

Subject

Interact with existing multiple scientific mechanisms, including:

• Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem

Services (IPBES)

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

• Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS)

…and other new and existing scientific networks and platforms

Mandate of the SPI (decision 23/COP.11)

Subject

Methods

Photo by IISD/ENB (www.iisd.ca/soil/gsw3/20apr.html)

ITPS and SPI members agreed to establish a

collaboration mechanism in order to avoid duplication

of efforts and to maximize synergies

(see ICCD/COP(12)/INF.4 Annex II )

Subject

Outcomes

3 major topics/entry points that will serve as an agreed basis for

the collaboration mechanism between the SPI and the ITPS

The SDGs, particularly the proposed target 15.3

aims to achieve a Land Degradation Neutral World

by the year 2030

The need for indicators addressing soil and land issues in

order to jointly implement the three “Rio conventions”

Soil organic carbon, which is relevant at both

global and local level, underpins various

ecosystem servicesC(for details see ICCD/COP(12)/CST/6 para 27 and CST/INF.4 para 13 )

Subject

The third Plenary Assembly of

the GSP endorsed the three

aforementioned topics/entry

points in June 2015

(Document GSPPA: III/2015/2 Add.2)

It concerns all proposed

objectives, and more specifically

proposed Coordination activity 3

Follow up current collaboration

and explore further means of

collaboration with the

Intergovernmental Technical

Panel on Soil

(Objectives see ICCD/COP(12)/CST/6 p. 9-10

Coord. act. seeICCD/COP(12)/CST/6 p. 10-11)

Objectives Deliverables

1: Provide scientific guidance to the operationalization of the voluntary land degradation neutrality (LDN) target

A user guide for implementing LDN at the country level based on a review of proposed conceptual and methodological frameworks that would scientifically underpin the implementation of LDN

2: Highlight the science-based synergistic potential of sustainable land management (SLM) practices to address DLDD, climate change mitigation and adaptation

A report that will include the following three sections as well as associated policy brief(s)(i)explore the potential of SLM practices to contribute to both climate change mitigation and addressing DLDD;(ii)present state-of-the-art knowledge on s land-based climate change adaptation practices(iii)critical analysis of the potential synergies and trade-offs between climate change mitigation and adaptatio

3: Encourage the development and implementation of specific rehabilitation, restoration and reclamation measures and practices in degraded lands

A report providing:(i) An assessment of existing land management practices suitable for the rehabilitation, restoration or reclamation of degraded lands with regard to the lands’ potential, including associated costs;(ii) Scientific guidance and policy options for addressing degraded lands

Science-Policy Interface work programme for the biennium

2016–2017

Coordination areas Activity

1: Follow up and contribute to the land degradation and restoration assessment (LDRA) conducted by the IPBES

The Science-Policy Interface (SPI) will contribute to the LDRA in accordance with the procedure established by the IPBES

2: Contribute to the development of the Global Land Outlook (GLO)

SPI members should participate in the steering committee and the review process of the GLO

3: Follow up on current collaboration with and explore further means of collaboration with the ITPS

Collaboration will be based on the topics jointly agreed by the SPI and the ITPS:• Sustainable Development Goal related to the

objective of the Convention (SDG target 15.3)• Indicators serving the 3 Rio conventions • Soil organic carbon

4: Initiate and coordinate interactions between the UNCCD and the IPCC

Explore the possibility for the IPCC to address the link between climate change and land degradation in its future work

Science-Policy Interface work programme for the biennium

2016–2017

The SDGs, particularly the proposed target 15.3

aims to achieve a Land Degradation Neutral World

by the year 2030

Related to the SPI

workprogramme:

Obj.1

Operationalize

LDN concept

Obj.3

Development

and

implementing

land restoration

of degraded

areas

The need for indicators addressing soil and land issues in

order to jointly implement the three “Rio conventions”

Related to the SPI

workprogramme:

Obj.2 Highlight

the potential of

SLM for

addressing

DLDD while

mitigating and

adapting to CC

Obj.3

Development

and

implementing

land restoration

of degraded

areas

Related to the SPI workprogramme:

Obj.1 Operationalize LDN concpet

Obj.2 Highlight the potential of SLM for

addressing DLDD while mitigating and

adapting to CC

Soil organic carbon, which is relevant at both

global and local level, underpins various

ecosystem services

Subject

Thank you !!