Both ENDS - Projects

Strategic Cooperation

Desertification: eniD - The european networking initiative on Desertification/UNCCD (sustainable landuse)

The European networking initiative on Desertification/UNCCD (eniD) was created in June 2001 by European NGOs involved in the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). At the moment this working group counts seven organisations and networks, which are operational in the field of sustainable development in drylands, all of them introduced below.

EniD is dedicated to the implementation of the UNCCD in general and to the participatory approach of the convention in particular; considering both as essential steps on the way to sustainable development. EniD understands its initiative as a specific contribution to efforts that a larger community of like-minded actors from national, regional and international backgrounds are committed to.

The initiative seeks to improve the co-operation between civil society organisations (CSOs) at the European level in order to provide for more support to partners from civil society in affected countries, particularly in view of their active involvement in the decision making, implementing and assessment processes of the UNCCD.

The members of the initiative not only are actively involved in their respective countries in UNCCD related processes, but they are also committed in numerous working partnerships with CSOs in affected countries.

eniD's activities strive for:

increasing outreach and understanding of the UNCCD, particularly in the civil society and public sector in Europe;
furthering cooperation and partnerships between CSOs and other actors that focus on active and competent participation of CSOs and local populations in the socio-economic development processes in drylands, particularly in the context of the UNCCD;
providing substantial and procedural input to regional and international discussions and decision-making processes that steer the implementation of the convention as well as other related processes that relate to the mitigation of the effects of desertification and the elimination of its causes;
maintaining the political dialogue with the concerned national, regional and international institutions.

Relevant publications:

Open Dialogue Background paper: Crisis Management and Long-Term Adaptation through Local Action, eniD (October 2005) (pdf-en pp 7)
Civil society participation in the implementation of the UNCCD in Africa, An eniD contribution presented at CRIC3(May 3, 2005)(pdf-en pp 19)
Policy makers seek added value: Participation as a response, report of the EniD side event at CRIC 3 (2005 May 3)(pdf-en pp 9)
Synergies between the Rio conventions, reflections from the local level, eniD discussion paper, March 2004 (pdf-en pp 10)
eniD independent participation and contribution of Civil Society to UNCCD institutional meetings (2003, June 13)(pdf-en pp 5)

eniD member profiles click on the logo

Arbeitsgruppe Desertifikation

Related information: EniD/GTD response paper on the TerrAfrica initiative by the World Bank, the UNCCD and GEF; a special catalytic effort that aims at promoting a new paradigm for framing and implementing sustainable land management in Sub-Saharan Africa.(pdf-en pp 9)