Tools and resources for land degradation neutrality implementation
Land in Balance, a science-policy brief prepared by the UNCCD Science-Policy Interface
Scientific Conceptual Framework for Land Degradation Neutrality, a report of the UNCCD Science-Policy Interface

The following tools and resources were presented in the publication “Scientific Conceptual Framework for Land Degradation Neutrality: A Report of the Science-Policy Interface” as examples of sources of information that countries pursuing land degradation neutrality (LDN) could use. The list is not exhaustive, and other useful tools and resources for LDN implementation and monitoring can be found in the Knowledge Sharing Systems on the Knowledge Hub.
- Tools/methods and capacity building for resilience assessments
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Resilience, Adaptation Pathways and Transformation Assessment (RAPTA)
- Source: Global Environment Facility (GEF)
- More information: Designing Projects in a Rapidly Changing World: Guidelines for Embedding Resilience, Adaptation and Transformation (RAPTA) into Sustainable Development Projects (Version 2.0)
Self-evaluation and Holistic Assessment of climate Resilience of farmers and Pastoralists (SHARP)
- Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- More information: SHARP
- Tools/methods and capacity building for economic valuation
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Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) Initiative
- Source: ELD Initiative
- More information: ELD Initiative
Land Use Trade-Offs (LUTO)
- Source: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
- More information: Land use efficiency: anticipating future demand for land-sector greenhouse gas emissions abatement and managing trade-offs with agriculture, water, and biodiversity
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)
- Tools/methods to estimate land potential and land stratification
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Global Agro-ecological Zoning Tool (GAEZ)
- Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- More information: GAEZ
Land Capability Classification system
- Source: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- More information: Land-capability classification
Land-Potential Knowledge System (LandPKS)
- Source: Landpotential.org
- More information: The Land-Potential Knowledge System (LandPKS): mobile apps and collaboration for optimizing climate change investments
Global Land Outlook working paper: Land use planning
- Source: Global Land Outlook
- More information: Full PDF
- Tools to integrate gender considerations into the design of preliminary assessments
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Gender and Land Rights Database (GLRD)
- Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- More information: GLRD
Towards a gender-responsive implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
- Source: United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
- More information: Full PDF publication
- Tools to develop other indicators/metrics to monitor LDN implementation
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Red List Index
- Source: International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
- More information: Red List Index-Guidance for National and Regional Use
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Source: United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
- More information: SDG Indicators
- Tools to support local community participation in verification of LDN indicators/metrics
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Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF)
- Source: World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
- More information: The Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF) Field Guide v4.1
Land-Potential Knowledge System (LandPKS)
- Information from assessments that can support LDN implementation
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Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) Initiative
- Source: ELD Initiative
- More information: ELD Initiative
Global Environment Outlook (GEO) assessments
- Source: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- More information: GEO
Global Land Outlook (GLO)
- Source: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
- More information: GLO
Land Degradation and Restoration Assessment (LDRA)
- Source: Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
- More information: LDRA
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA)
- Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
- More information: Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis
Special Report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems
- Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- More information: IPCC Special Report