CSOs’ preparatory workshop in COP 14, UNCCD

14^th Conference of Parties (COP 14) of United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was organized in New Delhi on September 02-13, 2019. Being NGO National Focal Point GBS was given responsibility by UNCCD Secretariat in consultation with the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India to organize Civil Society Organizations preparatory workshop, helping in their daily briefing, logistics etc. and printing the NGO bulleting every day during the COP. 

Bhawani Shanker Kusum, President, GBS made a presentation in the inaugural session on behalf of the international CSOs delegates coming from around the World. While welcoming the delegates he described the effects of climate change and degradation of environment in India and other Asian countries as well. Also, he narrated the exemplary work being carried out by CSO/NGOs all around the World to combat Land Degradation, Drought and desertification.

GBS organized a side event on “Afforestation and cultivation of drought resistant species in Asian Countries” in collaboration with China Green Foundation, China on September 07, 2019.

Bhawani while introducing the purpose of the event described the situation of drought in Asia. He told that the Asia-Pacific region comprising 35 countries stretches east west from Iran to Cook Islands and north south from Mongolia to New Zealand. He further mentioned that drought is defined as “prolonged dry weather, in a meteorological term a rainfall deficit expressed on a long term basis. 

Mr. Chen Peng, Secretary, China Green Foundation describing his organization said China Green Foundation has been working with local CSOs and communities to restore the degraded land in northwest China through planting trees for decades. In one of the demo sites in Inner Mongolia, the number of plant specious has increased to 130, comparing with 27 in 2007, before afforestation.