United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) (1994)

The Convention has been established in 1994 and represents the only internationally legally binding framework set up to address desertification and mitigate the effects of drought. The UNCCD involves 196 parties and addresses environment and development to sustainable land management. Achieving this will involve long-term integrated strategies committed to a bottom-up approach. This has to be consistent with Agenda 21, encouraging the participation of local people by improving land productivity and the rehabilitation, conservation and sustainable management of land and water resources. The UNCCD secretariat facilitates cooperation between developed and developing countries, particularly around knowledge and technology transfer for sustainable land management.