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"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"><HEAD><TITLE>Statement of Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw,  Executive Secretary UNCCD In response to the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land</TITLE><!-- NAME: RIGHT SIDEBAR --><!--[if gte mso 15]>
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}
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}
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}
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        COLOR: #656565; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline
}
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        BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: no-repeat; BACKGROUND-POSITION: center 50%; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; background-size: cover
}
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        TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica; COLOR: #202020; FONT-SIZE: 16px
}
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        TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica; COLOR: #202020; FONT-SIZE: 16px
}
#templateHeader .mcnTextContent A {
        COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline
}
#templateHeader .mcnTextContent P A {
        COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline
}
#templateSidebar {
        PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px
}
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        TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica; COLOR: #656565; FONT-SIZE: 12px
}
#templateSidebar .mcnTextContent P {
        TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica; COLOR: #656565; FONT-SIZE: 12px
}
#templateSidebar .mcnTextContent A {
        COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline
}
#templateSidebar .mcnTextContent P A {
        COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline
}
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        PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px
}
#templateColumns {
        PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px
}
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        TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica; COLOR: #202020; FONT-SIZE: 16px
}
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        TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica; COLOR: #202020; FONT-SIZE: 16px
}
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}
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}
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        BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fafafa; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: no-repeat; BACKGROUND-POSITION: center 50%; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-TOP: #eaeaea 2px solid; PADDING-TOP: 9px; background-size: cover
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}
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        COLOR: #656565; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline
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}
BODY {
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}
TABLE {
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}
TD {
        -webkit-text-size-adjust: none
}
P {
        -webkit-text-size-adjust: none
}
A {
        -webkit-text-size-adjust: none
}
LI {
        -webkit-text-size-adjust: none
}
BLOCKQUOTE {
        -webkit-text-size-adjust: none
}
BODY {
        MIN-WIDTH: 100% !important; WIDTH: 100% !important
}
#bodyCell {
        PADDING-TOP: 10px !important
}
#templateSidebar {
        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
#templateBody {
        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
.mcnRetinaImage {
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}
.mcnImage {
        WIDTH: 100% !important
}
.mcnCartContainer {
        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
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        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
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}
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}
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        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
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        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
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        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
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        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
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        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
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        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
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}
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        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
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        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
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        WIDTH: 100% !important; MAX-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
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        MIN-WIDTH: 100% !important
}
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        PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px !important; PADDING-LEFT: 9px !important; PADDING-RIGHT: 9px !important; PADDING-TOP: 9px !important
}
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        PADDING-TOP: 9px !important
}
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        PADDING-TOP: 9px !important
}
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        PADDING-TOP: 18px !important
}
.mcnCaptionBottomContent:unknown .mcnCaptionBottomImageContent {
        PADDING-TOP: 18px !important
}
.mcnCaptionBlockInner .mcnCaptionTopContent:unknown .mcnTextContent {
        PADDING-TOP: 18px !important
}
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        PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px !important
}
.mcnImageGroupBlockInner {
        PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px !important; PADDING-TOP: 0px !important
}
.mcnImageGroupBlockOuter {
        PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px !important; PADDING-TOP: 9px !important
}
.mcnTextContent {
        PADDING-LEFT: 18px !important; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px !important
}
.mcnBoxedTextContentColumn {
        PADDING-LEFT: 18px !important; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px !important
}
.mcnImageCardLeftImageContent {
        PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px !important; PADDING-LEFT: 18px !important; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px !important
}
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        PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px !important; PADDING-LEFT: 18px !important; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px !important
}
.mcpreview-image-uploader {
        WIDTH: 100% !important; DISPLAY: none !important
}
H1 {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 125% !important; FONT-SIZE: 22px !important
}
H2 {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 125% !important; FONT-SIZE: 20px !important
}
H3 {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 125% !important; FONT-SIZE: 18px !important
}
H4 {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 16px !important
}
.mcnBoxedTextContentContainer .mcnTextContent {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 14px !important
}
.mcnBoxedTextContentContainer .mcnTextContent P {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 14px !important
}
#templatePreheader {
        DISPLAY: block !important
}
#templatePreheader .mcnTextContent {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 14px !important
}
#templatePreheader .mcnTextContent P {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 14px !important
}
#templateHeader .mcnTextContent {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 16px !important
}
#templateHeader .mcnTextContent P {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 16px !important
}
#templateSidebar .mcnTextContent {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 16px !important
}
#templateSidebar .mcnTextContent P {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 16px !important
}
#templateBody .mcnTextContent {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 16px !important
}
#templateBody .mcnTextContent P {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 16px !important
}
#templateFooter .mcnTextContent {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 14px !important
}
#templateFooter .mcnTextContent P {
        LINE-HEIGHT: 150% !important; FONT-SIZE: 14px !important
}

}
</STYLE>

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<BODY 
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bgColor=#ffffff><!--[if !gte mso 9]>
<CENTER>
<TABLE 
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fafafa; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; WIDTH: 100%; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; HEIGHT: 100%; PADDING-TOP: 0px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
id=bodyTable border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" align=center 
height="100%">
  <TBODY>
  <TR>
    <TD 
    style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 10px; WIDTH: 100%; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: 100%; PADDING-TOP: 10px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
    id=bodyCell vAlign=top align=middle><!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE // --><!--[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]>
      <TABLE style="WIDTH: 600px" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=600 
      align=center>
        <TBODY>
        <TR>
          <TD style="WIDTH: 600px" vAlign=top width=600 align=middle><![endif]-->
            <TABLE 
            style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; MAX-WIDTH: 600px !important; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
            class=templateContainer border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 
            width="100%">
              <TBODY>
              <TR>
                <TD 
                style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fafafa; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: no-repeat; BACKGROUND-POSITION: center 50%; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 9px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; background-size: cover" 
                id=templatePreheader vAlign=top>
                  <TABLE 
                  style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                  class=mcnTextBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 
                  width="100%">
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                              <DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><STRONG>Statement 
                              of Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw,  Executive Secretary, 
                              United Nations Convention to Combat 
                              Desertification (UNCCD)</STRONG><BR>In response to 
                              the<BR><STRONG>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
                              Change (IPCC)</STRONG><BR><STRONG>Special Report 
                              on Climate Change and 
                          Land</STRONG></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if mso]>
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                              href="https://mailchi.mp/unccd/statement-of-mr-ibrahim-thiaw-executive-secretary-unccd-in-response-to-the-ipcc-special-report-on-climate-change-and-land?e=2649914cd5" 
                              target=_blank>View this email in your browser</A> 
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                                <DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><SPAN 
                                style="FONT-SIZE: 14px"><STRONG>Statement of Mr. 
                                Ibrahim Thiaw,  Executive Secretary, United 
                                Nations Convention to Combat Desertification 
                                (UNCCD)</STRONG><BR>In response to 
                                the<BR><STRONG>Intergovernmental Panel on 
                                Climate Change 
                                (IPCC)</STRONG><BR><STRONG>Special Report on 
                                Climate Change and 
                                Land</STRONG><BR><STRONG>Released Geneva, 
                                10:00hrs (CET), Thursday, 8 August 
                                2019</STRONG></SPAN><BR><BR> </DIV>
                                <DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><STRONG>Bonn, 
                                Germany, 8 August 2019.</STRONG> We have known 
                                for over 25 years that poor land use and 
                                management are major drivers of climate change, 
                                but have never mustered the political will to 
                                act. With the release of the IPCC special report 
                                on climate change and land, which makes the 
                                consequences of inaction crystal clear, we have 
                                no excuse for further delay.<BR><BR>We cannot 
                                head off the worst ravages of climate change 
                                without action on land degradation. The 
                                knowledge and technologies to manage our lands 
                                sustainably already exist. All we need is the 
                                will to use them to draw down carbon from the 
                                atmosphere, protect vital ecosystems and meet 
                                the challenge of feeding a growing global 
                                population. We must harness the enormous 
                                positive potential of our lands and make them 
                                part of the climate solution.<BR><BR>With the 
                                help of our scientists, I will ensure the issues 
                                in this report that are within the scope of the 
                                Convention are presented to ministers for strong 
                                and decisive action when they meet at the 
                                world’s largest intergovernmental forum where 
                                decisions on land use and management are made, 
                                the <A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=907729fd2b&e=2649914cd5">14th 
                                session of the Conference of the Parties to the 
                                UNCCD</A>, taking place in New Delhi, India, in 
                                three weeks’ time.<BR><BR>The IPCC report is one 
                                of four major assessments released over the last 
                                two years that show the wide-ranging impacts of 
                                land degradation. It is not just the climate 
                                that suffers when land quality declines. Land 
                                degradation jeopardizes our ability to feed the 
                                word, threatens the survival of over a million 
                                species, destroys ecosystems and drives 
                                resource-related conflicts that demand costly 
                                international interventions.<BR>These problems 
                                are no longer local problems. The report 
                                underlines that the increasingly global flows of 
                                consumption and production means that what we 
                                eat in one country can impact land in another. 
                                In the wake of land degradation and drought, 
                                communities are breaking down due to the swift 
                                and devastating loss of life and 
                                livelihoods.<BR><BR>Faced with these 
                                life-changing consequences, the UNCCD has 
                                developed a robust policy framework that can 
                                enable countries to avoid further land 
                                degradation and recover land that has become 
                                virtually unusable.<BR>Change is happening, but 
                                not fast enough. In the last four years, <A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=60274936f8&e=2649914cd5">122 
                                of the 169 countries affected</A> by 
                                desertification, land degradation or drought 
                                have embarked on setting national targets to 
                                halt future degradation and rehabilitate 
                                degrading land to ensure the amount of healthy 
                                and productive land available in 2015 does not 
                                decline by 2030 and beyond.<BR><BR>Last year, 
                                these countries submitted baseline date to 
                                verify this achievement. And in just three 
                                years, close to <A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=390c91f969&e=2649914cd5">70 
                                countries have set up national drought 
                                management plans</A> to reduce community and 
                                ecosystem vulnerability to droughts, which the 
                                IPCC says will become stronger, more frequent 
                                and more widespread.<BR>This shows that 
                                commitment to reversing land degradation is 
                                growing, even though much work remains. More 
                                than two billion hectares of land are degraded. 
                                Initiatives to restore land on a national or 
                                landscape level are not only vital in reversing 
                                the process. They are critical for helping the 
                                global community mitigate and adapt to climate 
                                change in the short term, using soil and 
                                vegetations through methods that do not harm the 
                                Earth.<BR><BR>When the ministers meet in 
                                September, I expect the IPCC report to have a 
                                strong influence not only on the policy 
                                decisions they will debate, but the will to take 
                                them home for appropriate action. Science can 
                                help politicians develop informed policies that 
                                will support ordinary people to prepare, act and 
                                create more positive pathways to the 
                                future.<BR>--- ends ---<BR><EM>Ibrahim Thiaw, UN 
                                Under Secretary General and Executive Secretary 
                                to the UN Convention to Combat 
                                Desertification.</EM><BR><BR><STRONG><U>Notes to 
                                Editors</U></STRONG><BR>Media Contacts: <A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="mailto:yhori@unccd.int">yhori@unccd.int</A> 
                                and <A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="mailto:wwischnewski@unccd.int">wwischnewski@unccd.int. </A><BR><A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=a878d21347&e=2649914cd5" 
                                target=_blank>For the language versions please 
                                click here</A><BR><A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=b69360901d&e=2649914cd5" 
                                target=_blank>Background information on the 
                                status of land degradation and restoration 
                                globally, including materials and resources for 
                                use are provided below.</A><BR>Download Summary 
                                of the four assessments: <EM><A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=1a3590f921&e=2649914cd5">Global 
                                Land Outlook</A></EM> (2017), <EM><A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=f969c7475d&e=2649914cd5">IPBES 
                                Assessment on Land Degradation and 
                                Restoration</A></EM> (2018), <EM><A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=ab3160e9b1&e=2649914cd5">World 
                                Atlas of Desertification</A></EM> (2018), <EM><A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=2e11fd7bf9&e=2649914cd5">IPBES 
                                Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem 
                                Services</A></EM><BR>Download <A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=c629b6df62&e=2649914cd5" 
                                target=_blank><EM>The Land in numbers 2019. 
                                Risks and 
                                opportunities. </EM></A></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if mso]>
                                </td>
                                <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                </tr>
                                </table>
                                <![endif]--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]></TD>
                            <TD style="WIDTH: 200px" vAlign=top width=200 
                            align=middle><![endif]-->
                              <TABLE 
                              style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                              id=templateSidebar border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                              cellPadding=0 width=200 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                vAlign=top>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; TABLE-LAYOUT: fixed !important; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnDividerBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                                cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY class=mcnDividerBlockOuter>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 18px; PADDING-LEFT: 18px; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px; PADDING-TOP: 18px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnDividerBlockInner>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; BORDER-TOP: #eaeaea 2px groove; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnDividerContent border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                                cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly"><SPAN></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--
                <td class="mcnDividerBlockInner" style="padding: 18px;">
                <hr class="mcnDividerContent" style="border-bottom-color:none; border-left-color:none; border-right-color:none; border-bottom-width:0; border-left-width:0; border-right-width:0; margin-top:0; margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:0;" />
--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnCaptionBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                                cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY class=mcnCaptionBlockOuter>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 9px; PADDING-TOP: 9px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnCaptionBlockInner vAlign=top>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnCaptionBottomContent border=0 
                                cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 9px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnCaptionBottomImageContent vAlign=top 
                                align=middle><IMG 
                                style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; MAX-WIDTH: 342px; -MS-INTERPOLATION-MODE: bicubic; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: auto; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none" 
                                class=mcnImage alt="" 
                                src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42/images/7bdd6b40-3b55-4fc0-b5d2-11343a75f1c7.png" 
                                width=164> </TD></TR>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 9px; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica; COLOR: #656565; FONT-SIZE: 12px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnTextContent vAlign=top width=164>
                                <DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"> </DIV>
                                <DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Media Contacts: <A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="mailto:yhori@unccd.int">yhori@unccd.int</A> 
                                and <A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="mailto:wwischnewski@unccd.int">wwischnewski@unccd.int</A><BR><BR><BR> </DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; TABLE-LAYOUT: fixed !important; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnDividerBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                                cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY class=mcnDividerBlockOuter>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 18px; PADDING-LEFT: 18px; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px; PADDING-TOP: 18px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnDividerBlockInner>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; BORDER-TOP: #eaeaea 2px groove; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnDividerContent border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                                cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly"><SPAN></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--
                <td class="mcnDividerBlockInner" style="padding: 18px;">
                <hr class="mcnDividerContent" style="border-bottom-color:none; border-left-color:none; border-right-color:none; border-bottom-width:0; border-left-width:0; border-right-width:0; margin-top:0; margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:0;" />
--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnCaptionBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                                cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY class=mcnCaptionBlockOuter>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 9px; PADDING-TOP: 9px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnCaptionBlockInner vAlign=top>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnCaptionBottomContent border=0 
                                cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 9px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnCaptionBottomImageContent vAlign=top 
                                align=middle><IMG 
                                style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; MAX-WIDTH: 342px; -MS-INTERPOLATION-MODE: bicubic; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: auto; VERTICAL-ALIGN: bottom; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none" 
                                class=mcnImage alt="" 
                                src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42/images/7bdd6b40-3b55-4fc0-b5d2-11343a75f1c7.png" 
                                width=164> </TD></TR>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 9px; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica; COLOR: #656565; FONT-SIZE: 12px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnTextContent vAlign=top width=164>
                                <DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"> </DIV>
                                <DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">Register here to 
                                attend or cover COP14 in New Delhi, India: <A 
                                style="COLOR: #2baadf; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=3312fc91bf&e=2649914cd5">https://reg.unog.ch/event/30186/</A><BR> </DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; TABLE-LAYOUT: fixed !important; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnDividerBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                                cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY class=mcnDividerBlockOuter>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 18px; PADDING-LEFT: 18px; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px; PADDING-TOP: 18px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnDividerBlockInner>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; BORDER-TOP: #eaeaea 2px groove; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnDividerContent border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                                cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly"><SPAN></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--
                <td class="mcnDividerBlockInner" style="padding: 18px;">
                <hr class="mcnDividerContent" style="border-bottom-color:none; border-left-color:none; border-right-color:none; border-bottom-width:0; border-left-width:0; border-right-width:0; margin-top:0; margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:0;" />
--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><![endif]--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR>
              <TR>
                <TD 
                style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fafafa; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: no-repeat; BACKGROUND-POSITION: center 50%; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-TOP: #eaeaea 2px solid; PADDING-TOP: 9px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; background-size: cover" 
                id=templateFooter vAlign=top>
                  <TABLE 
                  style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                  class=mcnBoxedTextBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 
                  width="100%"><!--[if gte mso 9]>
        <table align="center" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
        <![endif]-->
                    <TBODY class=mcnBoxedTextBlockOuter>
                    <TR>
                      <TD 
                      style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                      class=mcnBoxedTextBlockInner vAlign=top><!--[if gte mso 9]>
                                <td align="center" valign="top" ">
                                <![endif]-->
                        <TABLE 
                        style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                        class=mcnBoxedTextContentContainer border=0 
                        cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" align=left>
                          <TBODY>
                          <TR>
                            <TD 
                            style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-LEFT: 18px; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px; PADDING-TOP: 9px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly">
                              <TABLE 
                              style="MIN-WIDTH: 100% !important; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #999999; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                              class=mcnTextContentContainer border=0 
                              cellSpacing=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; PADDING-BOTTOM: 18px; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; PADDING-LEFT: 18px; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica; COLOR: #f2f2f2; FONT-SIZE: 14px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; PADDING-TOP: 18px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnTextContent vAlign=top>
                                <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14px"><STRONG><A 
                                style="COLOR: #656565; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=af725355c5&e=2649914cd5" 
                                target=_blank><SPAN style="COLOR: #000000">About 
                                the UNCCD</SPAN></A></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
                                <DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">The United 
                                Nations Convention to Combat Desertification 
                                (UNCCD) is an international agreement on good 
                                land stewardship. It helps people, communities 
                                and countries create wealth, grow economies and 
                                secure enough food, clean water and energy by 
                                ensuring land users an enabling environment for 
                                sustainable land management. Through 
                                partnerships, the Convention’s 197 parties set 
                                up robust systems to manage drought promptly and 
                                effectively. Good land stewardship based on 
                                sound policy and science helps integrate and 
                                accelerate achievement of the Sustainable 
                                Development Goals, builds resilience to climate 
                                change and prevents biodiversity 
                                loss.</DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if gte mso 9]>
                                </td>
                                <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
                </tr>
                </table>
                                <![endif]--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
                  <TABLE 
                  style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                  class=mcnFollowBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 
                  width="100%">
                    <TBODY class=mcnFollowBlockOuter>
                    <TR>
                      <TD 
                      style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 9px; PADDING-TOP: 9px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                      class=mcnFollowBlockInner vAlign=top align=middle>
                        <TABLE 
                        style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                        class=mcnFollowContentContainer border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                        cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                          <TBODY>
                          <TR>
                            <TD 
                            style="PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 9px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                            align=middle>
                              <TABLE 
                              style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                              class=mcnFollowContent border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                              cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 9px; PADDING-TOP: 9px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                vAlign=top align=middle>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 
                                align=center>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                vAlign=top align=middle><!--[if mso]>
                                    <table align="center" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
                                    <tr>
                                    <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                        <td align="center" valign="top">
                                        <![endif]-->
                                <TABLE 
                                style="DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItemContainer vAlign=top>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItem border=0 
                                cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                vAlign=center align=left>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnFollowIconContent vAlign=center 
                                width=24 align=middle><A 
                                style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=0e22e4501d&e=2649914cd5" 
                                target=_blank><IMG 
                                style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; DISPLAY: block; -MS-INTERPOLATION-MODE: bicubic; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: auto; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none" 
                                alt=Twitter 
                                src="https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-twitter-48.png" 
                                width=24 height=24></A> 
                                </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if mso]>
                                        </td>
                                        <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                        <td align="center" valign="top">
                                        <![endif]-->
                                <TABLE 
                                style="DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItemContainer vAlign=top>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItem border=0 
                                cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                vAlign=center align=left>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnFollowIconContent vAlign=center 
                                width=24 align=middle><A 
                                style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=030598080c&e=2649914cd5" 
                                target=_blank><IMG 
                                style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; DISPLAY: block; -MS-INTERPOLATION-MODE: bicubic; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: auto; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none" 
                                alt=Facebook 
                                src="https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-facebook-48.png" 
                                width=24 height=24></A> 
                                </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if mso]>
                                        </td>
                                        <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                        <td align="center" valign="top">
                                        <![endif]-->
                                <TABLE 
                                style="DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItemContainer vAlign=top>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                class=mcnFollowContentItem border=0 
                                cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                vAlign=center align=left>
                                <TABLE 
                                style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                                border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left>
                                <TBODY>
                                <TR>
                                <TD 
                                style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                class=mcnFollowIconContent vAlign=center 
                                width=24 align=middle><A 
                                style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                                href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=6ad3c9778c&e=2649914cd5" 
                                target=_blank><IMG 
                                style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; OUTLINE-STYLE: none; DISPLAY: block; -MS-INTERPOLATION-MODE: bicubic; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; HEIGHT: auto; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; TEXT-DECORATION: none" 
                                alt=Website 
                                src="https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-link-48.png" 
                                width=24 height=24></A> 
                                </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if mso]>
                                        </td>
                                        <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                    </tr>
                                    </table>
                                    <![endif]--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
                  <TABLE 
                  style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; TABLE-LAYOUT: fixed !important; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                  class=mcnDividerBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 
                  width="100%">
                    <TBODY class=mcnDividerBlockOuter>
                    <TR>
                      <TD 
                      style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 25px; PADDING-LEFT: 18px; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px; PADDING-TOP: 10px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                      class=mcnDividerBlockInner>
                        <TABLE 
                        style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; BORDER-TOP: #eeeeee 2px solid; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                        class=mcnDividerContent border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                        cellPadding=0 width="100%">
                          <TBODY>
                          <TR>
                            <TD 
                            style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly"><SPAN></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--
                <td class="mcnDividerBlockInner" style="padding: 18px;">
                <hr class="mcnDividerContent" style="border-bottom-color:none; border-left-color:none; border-right-color:none; border-bottom-width:0; border-left-width:0; border-right-width:0; margin-top:0; margin-right:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:0;" />
--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
                  <TABLE 
                  style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                  class=mcnTextBlock border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 
                  width="100%">
                    <TBODY class=mcnTextBlockOuter>
                    <TR>
                      <TD 
                      style="PADDING-TOP: 9px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                      class=mcnTextBlockInner vAlign=top><!--[if mso]>
                                <table align="left" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100%;">
                                <tr>
                                <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                <td valign="top" width="600" style="width:600px;">
                                <![endif]-->
                        <TABLE 
                        style="MIN-WIDTH: 100%; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; MAX-WIDTH: 100%; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt" 
                        class=mcnTextContentContainer border=0 cellSpacing=0 
                        cellPadding=0 width="100%" align=left>
                          <TBODY>
                          <TR>
                            <TD 
                            style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; PADDING-BOTTOM: 9px; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; PADDING-LEFT: 18px; PADDING-RIGHT: 18px; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica; COLOR: #656565; FONT-SIZE: 12px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; mso-line-height-rule: exactly" 
                            class=mcnTextContent vAlign=top><EM>Copyright © 
                              *|2016|* *|UNCCD|*, All rights 
                              reserved.</EM><BR>You are receiving this email 
                              because you are part of the UNCCD Secretariat 
                              mailing list<BR><BR><STRONG>Our mailing address 
                              is:</STRONG><BR>
                              <DIV class=vcard><SPAN class="org fn">United 
                              Nations Convention to Combat 
Desertification</SPAN>
                              <DIV class=adr>
                              <DIV class=street-address>UNCCD</DIV>
                              <DIV class=extended-address>Platz der Vereinten 
                              Nationen, Bonn, Germany</DIV><SPAN 
                              class=locality>Bonn</SPAN> <SPAN 
                              class=postal-code>53113</SPAN> 
                              <DIV class=country-name>Germany</DIV></DIV><BR><A 
                              class=hcard-download 
                              href="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/vcard?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=d657d34b46">Add 
                              us to your address 
                          book</A></DIV><BR><BR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if mso]>
                                </td>
                                <![endif]--><!--[if mso]>
                                </tr>
                                </table>
                                <![endif]--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
                  <DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
                  <DIV 
                  style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black" 
                  align=left><B>From:</B> <A title=press@unccd.int 
                  href="mailto:press@unccd.int">UNCCD Secretariat</A> </DIV>
                  <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial" align=left><B>Sent:</B> 
                  Thursday, August 08, 2019 1:55 PM</DIV>
                  <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial" align=left><B>Subject:</B> 
                  Statement of Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw,  Executive Secretary 
                  UNCCD In response to the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change 
                  and Land</DIV>
                  <DIV><BR></DIV><!--
--><!----></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><![endif]--><!-- // END TEMPLATE --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER><IMG 
src="https://unccd.us6.list-manage.com/track/open.php?u=d257fa3ad4084c603979d0e42&id=6b56a6012b&e=2649914cd5" 
width=1 height=1> </BODY></HTML>