UNCCD National Action Programme

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification 

You are invited to review and submit comments on Trinidad and Tobago's draft National Action Programme (NAP) for the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The draft NAP and its annexes are posted under the tab labelled "UNCCD National Action Programme", where you would also find concise instructions for the posting of any comments.

The UNCCD is one of the Rio Trio of Multilateral Environmental Agreements along with the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The original purpose of the UNCCD was the alleviation of poverty and the improvement of ecological and living conditions for areas in the African continent affected by drought and the process of desertification. The scope of the Convention was soon expanded to address broader land degradation issues on a global scale.

Trinidad and Tobago acceded to the UNCCD in 2000 and one of its major obligations as an Affected Country Party (ACP) is to develop an action programme which would provide overarching guidance to address land degradation issues on a national scale across all developmental and social sectors which it hoped would lead to improved land productivity and ecological integrity and resilience. Trinidad and Tobago's first NAP was approved by Cabinet in 2006 and this iteration is expected to align with the Convention's Ten Year Strategy (2008 - 2018) and incorporate the principle of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) which was adopted in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs - SDG 15).

We hope you take an interest in reviewing the draft NAP and would welcome any constructive feedback you would be willing to provide.