What is/are the importance/importances of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification?
- 1.It aims to promote effective action through innovative national programmes and supportive international partnerships.
- 2.It has a special/particular focus on South Asia and North Africa regions, and its Secretariat facilitates the allocation of major portion of financial resources to these regions.
- 3.It is committed to bottom-up approach, encouraging the participation of local people in combating the desertification.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only
The UNCCD (adopted 1994) works through national action programmes backed by international cooperation, and it insists that local people take part in decisions on combating desertification. Its special regional priority is Africa (Article 7), not South Asia and North Africa, so statement 2 is wrong.
- ✓ 1. Article 2 makes action at every level, backed by international cooperation and partnerships, the Convention's objective; in practice this is delivered through national action programmes drawn up by affected countries.
- ✗ 2. Article 7 gives priority to affected African country Parties. The Convention's secretariat does not hand out the bulk of funds to any region; financing comes from Parties, the GEF and the Global Mechanism.
- ✓ 3. Article 3(a) asks Parties to take decisions on anti-desertification programmes with the participation of populations and local communities, a bottom-up approach.
Remember · UNCCD (1994): national action programmes plus international partnership; participation of local communities; regional priority = Africa (Article 7).
Sources
- United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, text (Articles 2, 3 and 7) ↗ “particularly in Africa, through effective action at all levels, supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements, in the framework of an integrated approach which is consistent with Agenda 21 … programmes to combat desertification and/or mitigate the effects of drought are taken with the participation of populations and local communities … Article 7 Priority for Africa In implementing this Convention, the Parties shall give priority to affected African country Parties”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·