The fifteenth session of the CRIC (CRIC 15) was convened in Nairobi from 18-20 October 2016.

CRIC 15 was a special intersessional session which allowed Parties, through interactive sessions, to discuss key elements for a new Strategy, findings from the optional reports and future modalities for reporting, and progress in delivering land degradation neutrality (LDN) targets for those Parties engaging in the LDN target setting exercise among others. The session was preceded by regional consultations of implementation annexes (16-17 October) that did not have the opportunity to meet and discuss items on the agenda of CRIC 15.

The CRIC 15 met for the third and last day of their meeting. In the morning, they completed consideration of agenda item 4, on accessibility of information on best practices. The UNCCD secretariat presented the new UNCCD Knowledge Hub . It also presented the database of Best Practices on Sustainable Land Management practices, which was published in cooperation with the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT).

Plenary adjourned and the contact group resumed its consideration of the formulation of the final report of the CRIC 15 session. Discussion focused on the procedures and modalities for future reporting and on the findings of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) on the Future Strategic Framework of the Convention. The contact group completed its deliberations at 6pm.

Plenary reconvened at 6pm and the Rapporteur introduced the draft reports contained in documents ICCD/CRIC(15)/ L.1 (Draft report of the 15th session of the CRIC); L.2 (Voluntary national land degradation neutrality target setting exercise); L.3 (Financing the implementation of the Convention: opportunities for increased financing and options for tracking); L.4 (Consideration of best practices in the implementation of the Convention); L.5 (Overall reporting procedures and modalities for reporting by Parties) and L.6 (Initial findings from the Intergovernmental Working Group). Plenary considered and adopted each of the reports, one after the other, without any objections. Plenary then adopted the report of the session.

In the closing statement, CRIC 15 Chair Raymond Baptiste (Grenada), asked parties to reflect one question. Can we truly achieve LDN on a global scale if the remaining countries were to set voluntary national targets? He said he raised the question in light of the issue of national sovereignty. He said this would be his last CRIC session as he would soon be retiring, but noted that his exit does not mark an end to his commitment to the work of the Convention. He urged delegates to hasten the delivery of the outputs.

Each of the regional groups made its closing remarks, and Turkey, which holds the COP 12 Presidency, said the enthusiasm shown to take the Convention to a new level and to succeed was inspiring.

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