India is set to host the 14th conference of the parties from September 02 to 13, confirmed minister of environment, forest and climate change Prakash Javadekar .The global conference will be hosted at India Expo Mart Limited in Greater Noida. As many as 197 countries are expected to participate in the conference.

“The 14th session of COP will stress on three crucial issues..desertification, land degradation and drought,” Javadekar says while addressing the media persons.

“Due to the extreme weather conditions in the country, India had launched ‘soil health card’ which has benefitted as many as 14 crore farmers, Javadekar added.

Ahead of COP-14, Minister also launched “Bonn Challange”, a maiden project to lay emphasis on India’s capacity for forest landscape restoration.

The 3.5 years maiden phase will be implemented in the states of Haryana, M.P., Maharashtra, Nagaland and Karnataka.

Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Convention to combat Desertification and the UN Under Secretary General was also present at the press conference.