Report of the fifth meeting of the Group of Experts of the Committee on Science and Technology - addendum - guidelines for early warning systems

Desertification can be seen as an environmental degradation process that contributes to an increase in the intensity, frequency and impacts of natural hazards. Early warning systems have been recognized as key components of disaster reduction strategies and action plans at all levels, and because the desertification issue is nowadays embedded in existing food security and drought warning systems, a desertification early warning systems should be put in place. Such a system needs to reflect the appropriate spatial and temporal scales for detecting desertification.