UNCCD
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersBonn, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What UNCCD does
UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) is an intergovernmental treaty body established in 1994 and headquartered in Bonn, Germany, with 197 country Parties as signatories. It is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management, focused on combating desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD). Its substantive mandate covers Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) target setting, drought resilience, and restoration of degraded ecosystems, with quantified impact goals such as restoring 1.5 billion hectares of land globally by 2030 and 100 million hectares through the Great Green Wall in the Sahel.
UNCCD operates a digital ecosystem anchored by the PRAIS4 (Performance Review and Assessment of Implementation System) national reporting platform and the UNCCD Data Dashboard for visualization of country-submitted reports. The PRAIS4 platform was upgraded in August 2025 with a country overview dashboard, peer-to-peer chat, expanded user roles, and improved validation tools. Complementary digital tools include the PRAIS4 Help Desk, a multilingual reporting manual (English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic), and a suite of campaigns (Sport4Land, HerLand, Silk Road Caravan 2026). The Global Land Outlook publication series (GLO1 2017, GLO2 2022, GLO3 2026) and Good Practice Guidance for SDG indicator 15.3.1 form the scientific backbone of the convention.
UNCCD's business model is non-commercial: it is funded through voluntary and assessed contributions from its 197 member states, channeled via the UN regular budget and supplementary trust funds. The organization operates through a governance structure of the Conference of the Parties (COP), the Committee on Science and Technology (CST), and the Committee for the Review of Implementation of the Convention (CRIC), supported by five regional liaison offices (Bonn HQ, New York, Rabat, Panama City, plus Northern Mediterranean and Europe/CEE coverage). Its go-to-market is multilateral diplomacy and direct government engagement rather than sales. UNCCD supplements member-state funding through flagship initiatives such as the Great Green Wall Accelerator (USD 19 billion in commitments secured in January 2021) and the Business4Land (B4L) Champions' Council, which mobilizes private-sector partnerships, exemplified by the Nexira Acacia Project in Chad.
UNCCD firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UNCCD
- Legal name
- The United Nations secretariat to the Convention to Combat Desertification
- Website
- https://unccd.int
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UNCCD industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Environmental Governance
- NAICS
- International Affairs (92812), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Public Administration (92)
- SIC
- International Affairs (9721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- United Nations System & Specialized Agencies (BPADAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Forestry, Land Use & REDD+ Programs (BPADALAF), Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA)
Keywords
Where UNCCD is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bonn
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
UNCCD business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Party Contributions: UNCCD operates through voluntary and assessed contributions from its 197 member states (Parties) to fund the implementation of the Convention's mandate to combat desertification, land degradation, and drought.
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
UNCCD product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UNCCD is the secretariat for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, coordinating the 197 country Parties' implementation of national action against desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD). Its core deliverable is the global governance framework for Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN), operationalized through the PRAIS4 national reporting system, the UNCCD Data Dashboard, flagship restoration initiatives such as the Great Green Wall Accelerator and Business4Land, and major science publications including the Global Land Outlook.
Product overview
UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) is an international environmental convention focused on combating desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD). UNCCD operates a suite of digital platforms and initiatives centered around the PRAIS4 Reporting Platform for national reporting and the UNCCD Data Dashboard for data visualization. Key initiatives include the Great Green Wall Initiative aiming to restore 100 million hectares in the Sahel by 2030, and Business4Land mobilizing private sector engagement. The organization also runs campaigns including Sport4Land, Silk Road Caravan, and HerLand for gender equality. The Convention's work spans science and data through the Science Platform, governance through COP/CST/CRIC bodies, and regional implementation through five regional liaison offices (Africa, Asia, Latin America/Caribbean, Northern Mediterranean, and Europe/CEE). UNCCD's Science, Policy, and Implementation (SPI) mechanism guides the strategic framework 2018-2030.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PRAIS4 Reporting Platform Web-based national reporting platform enabling country Parties to the UNCCD to submit reports on actions taken to implement the Convention, with a user-friendly interface, pre-filled default data from global sources, and validation tools.
- UNCCD Data Dashboard Interactive web-based dashboard for exploring core topics under UNCCD's mission through national reporting data, supporting visualization of land-degradation and DLDD indicators.
- Global Land Outlook (GLO) Publication Series Major UNCCD publication series providing comprehensive assessments of land degradation and restoration (GLO1 2017, GLO2 2022, GLO3 2026), including regional and thematic reports.
- Great Green Wall Initiative (and Accelerator) African Union initiative, hosted by UNCCD's Global Mechanism, to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land, sequester 250 million tons of carbon, and create 10 million green jobs by 2030 in the Sahel.
- Business4Land (B4L) Initiative UNCCD flagship private-sector engagement initiative mobilizing companies to address land degradation, strengthen drought resilience, and contribute to restoring 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030, featuring a Champions' Council of leading companies.
- Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) Target Setting Programme Programme supporting country Parties in setting and achieving Land Degradation Neutrality targets, forming part of the strategic framework 2018–2030 for implementing the Convention.
Quantifiable outcome
- 15.4% of global land classified as degraded (2019 baseline)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use UNCCD
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
UNCCD technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
UNCCD partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and notable.
- Great Green Wall AcceleratorflagshipThe Great Green Wall Accelerator, hosted by UNCCD's Global Mechanism, aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land, sequester 250 million tons of carbon, and create 10 million green jobs by 2030 in the Sahel. It secured USD 19 billion in funding commitments at the One Planet Summit in January 2021 and specifically targets investment in small and medium-sized farms and strengthening of value chains.
- Nexira (Business4Land Champions' Council member)coreNexira, a global leader in natural ingredients, is a founding member of the UNCCD Business4Land (B4L) Champions' Council. The partnership focuses on the Acacia Project in Chad, which aims to restore degraded lands and strengthen rural livelihoods through sustainable value chains, reaching 200 villages and 50,000 producers while managing 300,000 hectares of forest landscapes (2022-2030).
- SOS SAHELcoreSOS SAHEL partners with UNCCD through the Acacia Project, working alongside Nexira to restore degraded landscapes and strengthen rural livelihoods in Chad through agroforestry, ecosystem restoration, producer training, and community development.
- ITU (International Telecommunication Union)coreJoint establishment of the Working Group on Digital Transformation for Hydrology and Water Resources with SC-HYD 2, UNCCD, and UNDP. The group focuses on leveraging emerging technologies across the hydrological value chain and developing multi-stakeholder collaboration guidelines aligned with WMO Plan of Action for Hydrology 2022-2030.
- UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)coreCo-founder of the Working Group on Digital Transformation for Hydrology and Water Resources alongside ITU, UNCCD, and WMO, focused on digital transformation in water resource management.
- WMO (World Meteorological Organization)corePartner in the Working Group on Digital Transformation for Hydrology and Water Resources, aligned with WMO Plan of Action for Hydrology 2022-2030, conducting demonstration projects and developing capacity building programs.
- Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)notableUNCCD praised KVIC's initiative for restoring arid land in Rajasthan through bamboo cultivation, involving planting approximately 5,500 plants on 25 acres with local community participation, costing ₹5 lakh, creating a replicable model for combating desertification.
- Business4Land Champions' CouncilflagshipUNCCD launched the Business4Land Champions' Council to accelerate land restoration, as part of private sector engagement initiative to mobilize companies to address land degradation, strengthen drought resilience, and contribute to restoring 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030.
- World Economic Forum (WEF)notableCooperation between UNCCD and WEF on various initiatives including the Great Green Wall value chains report and the Lighthouse Operating System for manufacturing transformation, aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.
- HUMAINnotableStrategic financing framework agreement of up to $1.2 billion between HUMAIN and the National Infrastructure Fund for AI and digital infrastructure projects, supporting Saudi Vision 2030 goals and land restoration initiatives.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
UNCCD competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
UNCCD social profiles
Digital presenceUNCCD financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UNCCD leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
UNCCD funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UNCCD M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about UNCCD
What does UNCCD do?
UNCCD is the secretariat for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, coordinating the 197 country Parties' implementation of national action against desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD). Its core deliverable is the global governance framework for Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN), operationalized through the PRAIS4 national reporting system, the UNCCD Data Dashboard, flagship restoration initiatives such as the Great Green Wall Accelerator and Business4Land, and major science publications including the Global Land Outlook.
Is UNCCD a public or private company?
UNCCD is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was UNCCD founded?
UNCCD was founded in 1994. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is UNCCD based?
UNCCD is headquartered in Bonn, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does UNCCD make money?
One revenue line is on record: party Contributions.
Does UNCCD have an API?
No public API is recorded for UNCCD.
What industry is UNCCD in?
UNCCD's product category is International Environmental Governance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAAAA, United Nations System & Specialized Agencies, with a secondary code of BPADALAF, Forestry, Land Use & REDD+ Programs. Its NAICS code is 92812 and its SIC code is 9721.