Leadership
Ingrid Teich
Co-Lead
University of Bern – Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) / WOCAT, Argentina
Background
The Decision Support Working Group operates at the interface between science and policy. It supports the integration of global, national, and local contexts in the use of geospatial tools and datasets to inform evidence-based decision-making for Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).
The group promotes robust and sustainable Earth observation value chains that generate co-designed Earth insights, knowledge, and intelligence for policy and planning. It is led by Ingrid Teich (WOCAT-CDE).
Objective
To strengthen the use of geospatial information, tools, and workflows in support of evidence-based decision-making for LDN. The group provides guidance to countries and stakeholders, fosters methodological innovation, and promotes South–South knowledge exchange for policy and planning processes.
Workstreams 2025
Cross-cutting activities: Communication, member engagement, coordination with other working groups, and joint contributions to knowledge products and publications.
1. Activation of the Working Group (Q1 2025)
- Organize a launch meeting and one-on-one sessions with key members (OSS, KSA, FAO, etc.)
- Establish a regular meeting schedule aligned with GEO-LDN seminars
- Disseminate engagement principles and branding guidelines
- Update the group webpage and define long-term management
2. Support to GEO-LDN GDF Countries (Q1–Q4 2025)
- Identify priority countries for continued technical and strategic support
- Re-engage with national teams to align assistance with national priorities
3. Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Forum (Q2–Q3 2025)
- Represent GEO-LDN and contribute to the forum discussions
- Support agenda-setting and coordination before the event
- Provide technical and strategic follow-up afterwards
4. Helpdesks for Country Support (Q2–Q4 2025)
- Define the framework and responsibilities of the GEO-LDN Helpdesk structure
- Provide technical and procedural assistance for national reporting and the UNCCD Target Setting Programme 2.0
5. Visibility in Key Events (Throughout 2025)
- Ensure GEO-LDN visibility in international events
- GEO Global Forum (May 2025) – present decision-support contributions
- UNCCD CRIC (December 2025) – support countries and showcase outputs
6. Coordination with WOCAT Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) (Continuous 2025)
- Align GEO-LDN activities with WOCAT’s MSP on Capacity Building for LDN
- Coordinate joint initiatives and resource sharing for stronger synergy
Mode of Collaboration
Meetings are organized virtually on a demand-driven basis. International conferences such as the GEO Global Forum and UNCCD CRIC provide opportunities for in-person coordination. Co-leads may also issue open calls for document reviews or member contributions.
