International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy 2017

Fertile soils and productive land are limited—finite—resources. But there is an ever-growing demand for fertile land to feed a growing global population. Meeting this demand is becoming a massive global challenge due to two major factors. There is competition for productive land for other uses, such as wood, fiber, bioenergy, and urban growth. Then there is land degradation and the added risk of climate change impacts, such as droughts, floods, and the rising global temperature. The need to manage the trade-offs between rising demand and falling supply is pressing.

This book presents an important discussion on soil and sustainable agriculture from a range of perspectives, addressing key topics such as sustainable intensification, the FAO Voluntary Guidelines, and the crucial role of appropriate tenure rights.

This second volume of the International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy is divided into four parts, the first of which deals with several aspects of the theme “soil and sustainable agriculture.” In turn, the second part covers recent international developments, the third part presents regional and national reports, and the fourth discusses cross-cutting issues. Given the range of key topics covered, the book offers an indispensible tool for all academics, legislators and policymakers working in this field.

The “International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy” is a book series that discusses central questions in law and politics with regard to the protection and sustainable management of soil and land – at the international, national and regional level.

Have a look at:

• Implementing Land Degradation Neutrality (SDG 15.3) at National Level: General Approach, Indicator Selection and Experiences from Germany
• Implementing Land Degradation Neutrality at National Level: Legal Instruments in Germany
• Soil Data Needs for Sustainable Agriculture

see more from International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy 2017  table of contents

The previous volume International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy 2016 table of contents

Quick look into some of the chapters :

• Land Degradation Neutrality and the UNCCD: From Political Vision to Measurable Targets
• Are Soils Taken into Consideration by the IPBES Assessment on Land Degradation and Restoration?
• Soil Degradation and Migrations in the Age of the Global Environmental Crisis: A Policy-Making Perspective
• Economics of Land Degradation: Achievements and Next Steps
• The Protection of Soil: Does the European Union Live Up to Its Own Ambitions?

The first volume of the International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy includes an important discussion on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals that are the basis for the post-2015 development agenda up to the year 2030; the Yearbook focuses in particular on Goal 15, which includes achieving a “land degradation-neutral world.” It also provides a comprehensive and highly informative overview of the latest developments at the international level, important cross-disciplinary issues and different approaches in national legislation.

The book is divided into four sections. Forewords by internationally renowned academics and politicians are followed by an analysis of the content and structure of the Sustainable Development Goals with regard to soil and land as well as the scientific methods for their implementation.