The new monitoring and reporting system of the UNCCD, looking for synergy options in reporting

1. The new monitoring and reporting system of the UNCCD, looking for synergy options in reporting Cambridge, 10 February 2010

2. Outline • The 10-year Strategy and its indicator based reporting system • Impact indicators • Performance Indicators • The PRAIS Project • Study on Synergies in reporting

3. The Strategy The introduction of an indicator-based reporting represents a paradigm shift for the UNCCD monitoring and assessment. Strategic Objectives • To improve the livelihoods of affected populations • To improve the productivity of affected Ecosystems • To generate Global Benefits • To mobilize resource through effective partnerships between national and international actors Operational Objectives • Advocacy, awareness raising and education • Policy framework • Science, technology and knowledge • Capacity-building • Financing and technology transfer

4. Two Sets of Indicators • Impact Indicators • Monitor the achievement of the four strategic objectives with its seven expected impacts • reviewed every four years • Performance Indicators • Monitor the achievement of the five operational objectives with 21 related outcomes • reviewed every two years

5. Impact Indicators At COP 9, Parties agreed • To report on 2 impact indicators in 2012: • Land Cover Status • Percentage of the population in affected areas living above the poverty line • To refine the proposed set of 11 impact indicators using an iterative process • Water availability per capita in affected areas • Change in land use • Level of land degradation • Plant and animal biodiversity • The aridity index • The level of carbon stocks above and below ground • Land under sustainable land management • The Human Development Index • Childhood malnutrition and/or food consumption/ calorie intake per capita in affected areas

6. Iterative Process to refine Impact Indicators • A white paper will be produced by a team of consultants or a specialized institution and posted on the web for an open internet-based scientific peer review • A survey of Parties perspectives on the feasibility of the indicators will be undertaken • 2 taskforce meetings to discuss synergies with relevant programmes, projects and institutions, including those associated with the other Rio Conventions and the GEF • Pilot impact indicator tracking exercises at the national level planned to be launched in 2011. • It will be organized on a voluntary basis including in particular those countries that choose to report on the entire set of impact indicators in 2012. • It will be included in the comprehensive capacity building initiatives of the Secretariat.

7. Performance Indicators 18 consolidated indicators measure progress against the 5 operational objectives and the 21 outcomes of The Strategy. • OO1: Advocacy, awareness raising and education (3 outcomes). • OO2: Policy framework (5 outcomes). • OO3: Science, technology and knowledge (6 outcomes). • OO4: Capacity building (2 outcomes). • OO5: Financing and technology transfer (5 outcomes).  Each outcome refers to specific processes  Performance indicators measure the performance of these processes. Indicators per Reporting Entity: - Affected country Parties, subregional and regional reporting entities:14; - Developed country Parties, UN agencies, IGOs and the GEF: 10; - The secretariat: 5 - GM: 4

8. Development of new Monitoring System: PRAIS PRAIS = Performance Review review of Convention‘s institutions and bodies (secretariat, GM, CST, CRIC), following the RBM + Assessment of Implementation of the Convention (based on impact indicators, strategic objectives) and of the Strategy (based on performance indicators, operational objectives) System

9. Assessment of Implementation • Performance indicators (5 operational objectives of the Strategy): reviewed every two years, fourth reporting cycle for CRIC 9 in November 2010 • Impact indicators (4 strategic objectives of the Strategy) – DLDD profiles: reviewed every four years  input through monitoring and assessment systems (analysed by the CST) • Best practices: at the core of the knowledge-sharing systems to be established and/or developed at the global, regional, sub-regional and national levels to support policymakers and end users (one of the 4 main functions of the CRIC) • Lessons learned, including on the reporting process • Financial information (analyzed by the GM)

10. UNCCD-UNEP-DGEF project on PRAIS Enabling a paradigm shift on monitoring andassessment within the UNCCD Three Components: 1: Review of performance indicators, and formulation of guidelines and reporting formats 2: Assessment of current baseline (of performance indicators), synthesis and preparation of reports for CRIC 9 at all levels 3: Knowledge Management System, M&E and Dissemination

11. Project Timeline

12. Project Outputs beyond reporting for CRIC 9 • A comprehensive monitoring and assessment system for the UNCCD that will clarify among others the institutional set up needed in order to effectively engage in future periodic monitoring and assessment of performance (every 2 years) and impacts (every 4 years) (harmonized reporting). • Appropriate framework for assessing and reporting of performance and impact developed • Web-site portal developed at national or sub-regional level for storage and retrieval of information on baseline data, indicators, reporting guidelines and tools, best practices, and lessons learned.

13. Decision 8/COP.9 Promotion and strengthening of relationships with other relevant conventions and international organizations, institutions and agencies Para 3 Requests the ES to continue coordinating with the secretariats of the UNCBD and UNFCCC through the Joint Liaison Group to facilitate exchanges of information and joint approaches to harmonizing and facilitating the reporting requirements of Parties

14. Study on Synergies in Reporting • To be presented at CRIC 9 (internal deadline 17th June) • Institutional mapping • Which institutions are involved in which reporting exercise • Review in Overlaps of Reporting requirements, • Learn from experience of focal points reporting to more than one Convention • Identification of opportunities of joint indicators • Identification of standardized methodologies for collecting, processing, monitoring and reporting • Suggestion of Institutional set-up needed to foster synergies in reporting • Steering the iterative process to support synergies in reporting

15. Synergies in Reporting • Indicators are now on the Agenda of all Rio Conventions • There is a need to call for harmonization, especially on national level to decrease the burden on NFP • Regarding the timeframe of the PRAIS project how can we use UNEP/GEF project “Piloting Integrated Process and Approaches to Facilitate National Reporting to Rio Conventions” to showcase at the example of the six pilot countries the possibilities on joint reporting? • What should be the main points to be analyzed in a study on synergy options of the RIO Convention as regards reporting?

16. Summary • With the Strategy of UNCCD a new monitoring system is developed • Impact indicators measure progress against the strategic objectives of the Strategy • Performance Indicators monitor progress of operational objectives • PRAIS System: new system for the review of the Performance of Convention Institutions and the Assessment of the Implementation • PRAIS project to support the reporting to CRIC 9 in November 2010 and to develop PRAIS portal • Needto identify synergy options in reporting to ease the burden of NFP