well as the sustainable use and management of resources. Under the authority of the CST, a Group of Experts was established by the COP with a specific work programme, to assist in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the CST. This Group of Experts, working under the authority of the CST, provides advice on the areas of drought and desertification. Group of Experts The Group of Experts (GoE) plays an important institutional role, providing the CST with information on the current knowledge, the extent and the impact, the possible scenarios and the policy implications on various themes assigned in its work programme. The results of the work performed by the GoE are widely recognized and include dissemination of its results on ongoing activities (benchmarks and indicators, traditional knowledge, early warning systems). The Group of Experts develops and makes available to all interested people information on appropriate mechanisms for scientific and technological cooperation and articulates research projects, which promote awareness about desertification and drought between countries and stakeholders at the international, regional and national level. The Group of Experts seeks to build on and use existing work and evidence to produce pertinent synthesis and outputs for the use of the Parties to the Convention and for the broader dissemination to the scientific community. The programme of work and its mandate is pluri-annual in nature, for a maximum of four years. National, regional and sub-regional programmes National Action Programmes (NAP) are one of the key instruments in the implementation of the Convention. They are strengthened by Action Programmes on Sub-regional (SRAP) and Regional (RAP) level. National Action Programmes are developed in the framework of a participative approach involving the local communities and they spell out the practical steps and measures to be taken to combat desertification in specific ecosystems. See also Action for Climate Empowerment Earth Summit Economics of Land Degradation Initiative Hama Arba Diallo International Year of Deserts and Desertification List of international environmental agreements Terrafrica partnership United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought References Full text available from UNCCD.int Rechkemmer, Andreas (2004): Postmodern Global Governance. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlag. External links 2006: International Year of Deserts and Desertification The Economics of Land Degradation Initiative - Homepage UNESCO Water Portal: UNCCD Environmental treaties United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification United Nations