Javadekar presents draft New Delhi Declaration at UN conference on land desertification

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday presented to the participants of the 14th UN conference on land desertification the draft New Delhi Declaration which provides a roadmap towards combating the problem.

According to sources, the draft was prepared on Monday and it was presented to the delegates in a closed meeting at the ongoing UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP 14, seeking their comments.

Javadekar, who is the president of the COP, presented it at the closing of the high-level segment of the conference in which 70 ministers, over 190 countries and more than 8,000 delegates are participating.

Sources, however, said it would take some time for the final declaration to take shape as the minister has sent it for comments from the countries.

"It will be finalised and released on September 13," an environment ministry source said.

The minister had on Monday told reporters at the event that the declaration was almost ready and it will "not only be ambitious but very reality based declaration which will be accountable for the actions by various nations".