National action plans have been used across various multilateral environmental agreements. They are typically used as a tool through which State Parties articulate their legal, regulatory and policy plans to address certain issues for a dedicated time period. These national action plans are then made available to the public, civil society, other State Parties to a treaty, and to the governance mechanisms for the treaty regime. In many cases, the governance mechanisms then have the opportunity to provide comments and the State Parties are required to file subsequent national action plans that address steps taken to implement previous commitments as well as new commitments for the future. [IUCN] For example national action plans are required under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) for the implementation of the Convention.