In 1997, the Secretariats of the three ‘Rio’ Conventions - the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the UN Convention on Biodiversity (UNCBD) - jointly requested that the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) examine whether the financial resources committed by developed countries for the implementation of these three conventions could be obtained through the OECD’s Creditor Reporting System (CRS).
In response, the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) developed the ‘Rio Markers’ which allow the tracking of official development assistance (ODA) activities that target the objectives of the three conventions. The methodology was developed in close consultation with the Convention Secretariats and the Global Mechanism (GM).
In 2008, after a three-year trial period, the DAC decided to incorporate the Rio Markers as a permanent reporting obligation by DAC member countries. The UNCCD was the first of the conventions to embed the Rio Markers as a distinct feature in the new reporting formats adopted at the 9th session of the Conference of the Parties (Decision 13/COP9).
At the same time, the OECD established a Joint Task Team (JTT) including representatives of DAC member countries, the Convention Secretariats and the GM, to examine the definitions and identify options to improve Rio Marker data quality. The JTT will meet for the third time in February 2010 to discuss proposals to modify the Rio Markers on the basis of inputs provided by its members.
For more information:
Mr Simone Quatrini, Coordinator, Policy & Investment Analysis
Tel. +39 06 5459 2154
s.quatrini (at) global-mechanism.org
Download the OECD/DAC Report 'Measuring Aid Targeting the Objectives of the Rio Conventions' (pdf, English, 447kb) Download OECD/DAC document on the Rio Markers (pdf, Enhglish, 84kb) Download Decision 13/COP9 (pdf, English, 146kb)
