drought desertification - United Nations Economic Commission for ...

Box 4: Setting up Desertification Information Systems, the case of Tunisia:
Tunisia has established a monitoring and evaluation system for steering the NAP. It aims to assess the impact of investments
made in fighting desertification and to enable the compilation of management charts for national policy-makers at different
levels. In addition, a desertification information pooling system (DIS) has been set up to provide crucial information for national
planning, helping ensure sustainable development by helping decision-makers to make appropriate choices. The DIS consists
of the desertification issue chart at national level, which shows the quantities and qualities of the various natural resources,
the causes of desertification in each region and monitoring indicators pertaining to the resources. Regular desertification
observations are logged in the NAP indicator grid, which is the tool for monitoring desertification and evaluating the impact
of the NAP. The DIS can be accessed through the national environment portal (www.environnement.nat.tn/sid). All players
involved in the fight against desertification can use it to pool information and exchange data that has been produced, approved
and presented in a user-friendly format. The DIS is an important information tool for supporting the NAP implementation; it is
a handy networking tool in the fight against desertification; it is ideal for presenting existing information, and storing, pooling
and circulating fresh information and products that are useful for combating desertification; it bolsters existing capacities with
regard to new information and communication technologies.
Source: UNCCD 2006. 102
97. At the initiative of the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), the Long-term Ecological Monitoring
and Observatory Network has been established. The network covers 12 affected countries in the subregion.
It gathers environmental data for use of decision makers. This initiative has facilitated observatories in 11
countries to operate and gather high-quality information on the evolution of natural resources and the
effectiveness of management systems. 103
98. To respond to the need for up-to-date and comparable land degradation information, the GEF
has funded the Land Degradation Assessment (LADA) project, a global initiative implemented by
UNEP and executed by FAO with support of the UNCCD secretariat, the Global Mechanism and the
International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC). LADA project has developed and tested
effective assessment tools for land degradation in drylands through pilot projects and studies undertaken
in selected countries. In Africa a pilot project was carried out in Senegal, Tunisia and South Africa; and
case studies were conducted in Kenya. 104 The LADA project will produce the global land degradation
assessment (GLADA) which will allow Parties to the UNCCD to have an overview of the status of land
degradation and to identify the areas where targeted investment may be needed to stop and/or reverse
land degradation. At the same time, the identification of bright spots will allow countries to exchange
methods for ecosystem management that have proved to be effective. 105
3.3.2 Drought monitoring and early warning systems and programs
99. Drought monitoring and early warning systems and programs are being developed and made
operational. These include the following:
100. Regional Climate Outlook Forums are convened annually by the World Meteorological
Organisation (WMO) in the Greater Horn of Africa, in South Africa and in West Africa, to elaborate
and ensure appropriate dissemination of consensual regional outlooks, bulletins and products about the
102 Ibid.
103 UNCCD. ICCD/CRIC(3)/2/Add.1 4 January 2005. Synthesis and preliminary analysis of information contained in reports submitted
by affected African country parties. Note by the secretariat; and UNCCD ICCD/CRIC(3)/3/Add.1 21 February 2005. Synthesis and
preliminary analysis of reports from the developed country parties. Note by the secretariat.
104 With additional input from ACSD-5/RIM.
105 UNCCD ICCD/COP(7)/CST/8 22 July 2005. Land degradation assessment in drylands. Note by the secretariat. http://www.unccd.int/
cop/officialdocs/cop7/pdf/cst8eng.pdf and supplemented by the ACSD-5/RIM.
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