Desertification convention nears completion.

The International Negotiating Committee charged with creating a new UN instrument to combat desertification continued work on a 42-article draft convention at its third (17-28 January, New York) and fourth (21-31 March, Geneva) sessions. The new convention is scheduled for adoption at the Committee's June meeting in Paris.

With the preliminary official name of "International Convention to combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa", the treaty was called for by the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), which met in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.

At that "Earth Summit", participants adopted "Agenda 21"--a comprehensive programme of action aimed at promoting the principles of sustainable development. The action programme highlighted ways to combat desertification through alternative livelihood systems.

In support of "Agenda 21", the General Assembly, in resolution 47/188, established the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee that drew up the new draft convention.

"I hope that we can develop through the convention a truly global partnership to bring desertification under control, to move to sustainable management of dryland areas and to reclaim arid lands", James Gustave Speth, Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), told the Committee on 17 January.

With population increasing at a rate of about 40,000 people per day, world food output must triple over the next half century, Mr. Speth pointed out. "From this perspective, the goal of achieving sustainable food security in the decades ahead emerges as one of the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced."

According to the draft (A/AC.241/15/Rev.1), the primary aim of the new instrument is to halt the spread of desertification and "mitigate the effects of drought", with the hope of "achieving sustainable development in affected areas". Beyond defining key technical terms like "land degradation", the draft convention identifies national and regional action programmes, technological cooperation, and public awareness campaigns as measures to combat the problem.

Parties to the convention should develop "partnerships among all levels of government, communities, non-governmental organizations and landholders to establish an understanding of the nature and value of land resources in affected areas and to work towards their sustainable use", the draft states.

Affected countries also are urged to "promote awareness and facilitate participation of local populations" and to develop action programmes that include measures to reduce poverty, improve land and water management, and promote food security.

Desertification currently affects more than 900 million people worldwide and a quarter of the world's land area, Committee Chairman Bo Kjellen told a 31 January press briefing in New York. To avert hunger and catastrophes, he said, the situation must be addressed.

At its fourth session, the Committee worked on a draft annex to the convention focusing on Africa. Progress had been made toward producing a consensus draft document, but financial arrangements and obligations under the text remained a sticking point. Chairman Kjellen said that the June negotiating session would need to focus on three areas: visible change in combating desertification problems; emphasis on local efforts: and sustained action in facing the difficulties posed by desertification.

Looking out for Mother Nature

Reviewing the accomplishments of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction and charting a programme of action for the future are among the objectives of the World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction, set to meet from 23 to 27 May in Yokohama, Japan.

Marking the halfway point in the International Decade, which began 1 January 1990, the Conference aims to promote awareness of the importance of disaster reduction policies and facilitate exchange of information on the Decade's programmes and policies.

Droughts, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, bush fires, volcanic eruptions and other natural disasters caused death and destruction in both developing and developed countries, said Olavi Elo of the Secretariat for the International Decade at a Preparatory Committee meeting (14-18 March, Geneva). And most disaster-related deaths occur in developing countries due, in part, to lack of preparedness, he added.

The Preparatory Committee adopted the outline of a draft final document on the Conference's principles, strategy and plan of action. The plan of action calls for all countries to strengthen or establish national Decade committees and to encourage community involvement at all stages of disaster management programmes.

As part of a strategy for the year 2000, the Committee recommended a global culture of prevention, education and training in disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation.