Averting desertification

New Delhi Declaration will help land restoration

Of the several noteworthy outcomes of the 14th Conference of Parties (COP 14) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the one that stands out is the move towards consolidating multiple programmes to protect the environment, land, and biodiversity. The historic Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit of 1992, aimed broadly at ensuring sustainable development, was instrumental in the signing of three major global conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, which have been running parallel despite having a strong bearing on each other. This flaw is sought to be rectified by the COP 14 by calling for greater