Photo: ©FAO

Ankara – Representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, met with stakeholders this week to update the LDN National Report Workshop within the scope of the “Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) Upper Sakarya” project.

The workshop was opened by Erdogan Ozevren, GEF Programme Coordinator, representing FAO, who touched upon the organization’s approaches and processes in Land Degradation Neutrality and the work  accomplished by Turkey in this regard. He noted that the present project is the first to be undertaken by FAO-Turkey on LDN, and stated that work had not been impeded by the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, a new Decision Support System has been created with associated implementation studies carried out in approximately 17 countries through FAO. He concluded his speech by emphasizing the vital importance of cooperation on LDN processes at both the national and international level.

The workshop continued with a speech by Derya Polat, Head of the Combating Desertification Department, General Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion. Mrs Polat started by referring the participants to target 15.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals: “By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world”. She explained that, following the decisions taken at the UNCCD 12th Conference of the Parties hosted by Turkey in 2015, an LDN national report was prepared to determine LDN targets. Work on climate change studies commenced following approval of the Paris Agreement by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. In this context, Mrs Polat emphasized the interlinkages between these important issues and processes, and noted that they need to be addressed together.

After the opening speeches, presentations were made on the process of updating the LDN Decision Support System, the LDN National Report and the LDN National Goals. During her presentation, Sibel Tekin, Project National Coordinator, underscored the relationship between the LDN Upper Sakarya Basin Project and the updating of the LDN targets, and explained that an action plan is being developed as part of the ongoing process.

The workshop continued with round table group work in afternoon sessions and culminated with the preparation of documents from group contributions.