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.
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only ✓ UPSC's answer
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Why the answer is (c)
• The UNCCD (1994), one of the three Rio Conventions, is the only legally binding framework linking environment, development and sustainable land management.
• It promotes action through national action programmes backed by international partnerships (statement 1) and is committed to a bottom-up approach involving local communities and NGOs (statement 3).
• Statement 2 is wrong: its priority regions are Africa (with a special annex) and other affected areas, not South Asia and North Africa specifically, and its Secretariat does not allocate funds — financing comes via the GEF and the Global Mechanism.
• Hence 1 and 3 only, option (c).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) 1 only
- Statement 3 on the bottom-up approach is also correct.
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- Statement 2 is wrong: no South Asia/North Africa focus or fund allocation by the Secretariat.
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
- Statement 2 is wrong.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2016, held on 7 August 2016. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.