RESOLUTION OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

of April 29, 2015 No. 361

About some questions of prevention of degradation of lands (including soils)

According to article 5 of the Convention of the United Nations on fight against desertification in those countries which experience serious drought and/or desertification especially in Africa accepted in Paris on June 17, 1994 the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus DECIDES:

1. Approve enclosed:

strategy for implementation of the Convention of the United Nations for fight against desertification in those countries which experience serious drought and/or desertification, especially in Africa;

The national plan of action for prevention of degradation of lands (including soils) for 2016-2020.

2. This resolution becomes effective after its official publication.

Approved by the Resolution of Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of April 29, 2015 No. 361

Strategy for implementation of the Convention of the United Nations for fight against desertification in those countries which experience serious drought and/or desertification, especially in Africa

Chapter 1. General provisions

The earth and its major component - soils are the main national natural wealth of Belarus, from efficiency of use and which protection social and economic wellbeing and ecological country situation in many respects depends.

Specific feature of the earth as natural resource - its multifunctionality. The earth performs sredoformiruyushchy and nature protection functions in the biosphere, acts as compound and integral part of natural systems, is general and irreplaceable material condition of production, serves as space basis for placement of industries of economic complex, settlements, infrastructure, as the main means of production in rural and forestry, object of land relations. The soils constituting it have unique property of fertility - capability to make biomass.

Preserving lands (including soils) and their rational (steady) use are one of the priority directions of policy of sustainable development and providing ecological safety of the state.

The presidential decree of the Republic of Belarus of November 9, 2010 No. 575 "About approval of the Concept of homeland security of the Republic of Belarus" (The national register of legal acts of the Republic of Belarus, 2010, No. 276, 1/12080) degradation of lands, the woods and natural complexes, and also radioactive, chemical and biological pollution of soils, lands are recognized as one of the main threats of homeland security.

Relevance of questions of degradation of lands is noted in the National strategy of sustainable social and economic development of the Republic of Belarus for the period till 2030 approved by Presidium of Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus on February 10, 2015.

Problems of degradation of lands and drought are urgent for all regions of the world. For acceptance of collateral actions of the international community according to their decision on June 17, 1994 in Paris the Convention of the United Nations on fight against desertification in those countries which experience serious drought and/or desertification, especially in Africa is signed (further - the Convention).

Now 195 parties - absolute majority of the states of the world joined the Convention.

The Republic of Belarus joined the Convention according to the Presidential decree of the Republic of Belarus of July 17, 2001 No. 393 "About accession of the Republic of Belarus to the Convention of the United Nations on fight against desertification in those countries which experience serious drought and/or desertification, especially in Africa" (The national register of legal acts of the Republic of Belarus, 2001, No. 68, 1/2855).

Environment of Belarus (quantity and distribution of atmospheric precipitation, arrangement of soil waters, close to surface, significant areas of sredostabiliziruyushchy types of lands) exclude development of desertification in its extreme form now. At the same time number of the states of the region of Central and Eastern Europe (appendix 5 to the Convention) which includes the Republic of Belarus are substantially vulnerable concerning desertification processes.

The Convention sales activity in the Republic of Belarus is aimed at providing system accounting and monitoring of lands, measures for prevention of degradation of lands (including soils), to non-admission of decrease in fertility of soils and their productivity.

According to articles 5 and 10 of the Convention the affected countries shall develop the corresponding strategies and action plans, to establish national priorities on prevention of degradation of lands.

Degradation of lands according to article 1 of the Convention is understood as decrease or loss of biological and economic productivity and complex structure of arable lands, pastures, the woods as a result of land use or action of one or several processes, connected including with activities of the person, such as:

wind and (or) water erosion of soils;

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