Adaptation Bulletin 2: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Submission | Climate Technology Centre & Network

News/Capacity building:

The UNCCD has officially launched its e-learning platform which offers inter alia, courses related to land and climate; and the possibilities for others (organizations and individuals) who are involved in capacity development, to support sustainable development, to offer to the public their courses and other capacity building resources and opportunities they wish to. Please click here for the platform.
Schools, universities and other learning institutions are invited to be part of the UNCCD sustainable development awareness raising events in which members of the Capacity Development and Innovations Office makes visits to these institutions holding panel discussions, expositions and much more. Please click here for more information.

Activities undertaken in the last quarter:

School screening of "Wild Karnataka": On Friday 6 March, the staff of the UNCCD Capacity Development and Innovations Office (CDIO) visited CJD Königswinter Christophorus School in Königswinter, Germany. The occasion was the screening of the educational documentary, "Wild Karnataka," about the wild biodiversity in Karnataka, India.

This exercise, one of many carried out at the school over the years by the CDIO was attended by 60 students and their teachers.

The film was introduced by ITS soundtrack writer, world-famous Grammy Award winner and UNCCD Land Ambassador, Indian national Ricky Kej. He explained to the students the importance of every one doing their part to protect our planet from the ravages of climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation.

After the screening, Ambassador Kej and Professor, Richard A. Byron-Cox, Head of the CDIO fielded questions from the students and their teachers. These questions covered issues of climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and their interconnection.

The students showed great interest in finding out what they can personally and collectively do, to contribute positively to the fight against environmental degradation.

Please click here for more information.

The UNCCD New E-learning Platform: As part of its efforts to facilitate capacity building in support of synergistic implementation of the UNCCD, UNFCCC, CBD and Agenda 2030, the UNCCD launched late last year its E-Learning platform.

This platform is focused on developing individual and institutional capacities with special attention being placed on the role of sustainable land management.

Over the last three months the CDIO has been busy populating this platform with relevant e-learning and other training and educational materials.

Materials presently available include courses on the UNCCD and its role in sustainable development, and on sustainable agriculture among others, provided by agencies and institutions dealing with issues of sustainable development, climate change and biodiversity protection.

This platform also offers the possibility for all involved in the process of capacity development in support of the implementation of the Rio Conventions, to provide and/or receive opportunities in and for capacity development absolutely free of cost. And, the platform will offer seven (7) new courses by this summer, which shall include a special course on sustainable development and youth for people between the ages of 14 to 25.

Please click here for more information.

The UNCCD and the Universities: The UNCCD has through its CDIO steadily increased its work in training and education with universities around the world. This engagement continues in 2020 with the CDIO working with many universities on the various issues of Sustainable Land Management and related subjects, all geared at supporting the realization of Agenda 2030.

For 2020 the CDIO has worked with a number of universities delivering lectures at several including at the Centre International de Formation Européenne (CIFE), and the University of Wageningen. It has granted many internships for professional training and development to graduate and post-graduate students from many countries including India, Columbia, Denmark, Ghana, Russia and many more.

A new mentorship programme for mentees from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and the Least Developed countries (LDCs), has been developed and was to have been rolled out this March. However, due to the Covid 19 pandemic, this programme is temporarily on hold.

Through its Capacity Building Marketplace and e-learning platform the

UNCCD/CDIO has made special efforts at sharing information about training and other educational opportunities for young universities graduates. On these platforms’ users can find capacity building resources and opportunities from around the world.

Please click here for more information.

Upcoming events:

June 2020, Discussion on Poverty and Sustainable Development (Virtual): This dialogue being organized by the CDIO, will be held in the form of a panel discussion. There will be experts from around the world and students and young professionals from across the global shall be invited to participate live.

The exercise will examine the real causes and true nature of poverty and why it remains persistent even with all the efforts being made. It will also look at the question of the capacity development necessary for addressing poverty.