Land degradation – the reduction or loss of the productive potential of land – is a global challenge. Over 20% of the Earth’s vegetated surface is estimated to be degraded, affecting over 1.3 billion people, with an economic impact of up to US$10.6 trillion. Land degradation reduces agricultural…

In this paper, we assess the causes and extent of land degradation around the world, followed by an outline of the various challenges in implementing a global Zero Net Land Degradation (ZNLD) policy.

This paper evaluates the feasibility of introducing a Land Degradation Neutral (LDN) scheme as an activity of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

Case studies from WRI’s Restoration Diagnostic show that land restoration in Latin America and the Caribbean has been done before. Successes from Brazil, Panama and Costa Rica offer lessons on how to get degraded land back into productive use.

Quantified information on land degradation and restoration is needed to support policies for sustainable ecosystem management and socioeconomic development. The arid and semiarid zones of China (ASZC) have experienced significant land degradation, and in response to such degradation, multiple…

Viewing humans as drivers of change operating outside the natural environment is unhelpful for defining interventions that effectively manage change and complexity. Indeed, there is now broad agreement that environmental governance needs to consider integrated social-ecological systems (SES) in…

In the effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to food, health, water, and climate, an increase in pressure on land is highly likely. To avoid further land degradation and promote land restoration, multifunctional use of land is needed within the boundaries of the soil…

The Responsabilité & Environnement series publishes quarterly thematic files on topics related to risks, sustainable development and energy and raw materials. Led by an industry specialist under the editorial board of the series, each issue presents a wide range of complementary perspectives…

“The Business Case for Investing in Soil Health” shows how companies around the world are beginning to address the issue and identifies the next steps for scaling-up action and investment in soil health. Soil health is a pressing global issue that sits at the heart of three UN conventions (UNCBD…

There is a clear need for transformative change in the land management and food production sectors to address the global land challenges of climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, combatting land‐degradation and desertification, and delivering food security (referred to hereafter as…

Sub‐optimal land management practices are degrading soils and undermining food production. Sustainable Land Management (SLM) practices can improve soil and enhance yields. This study identifies variations in SLM uptake, characterizing farmers most likely to use SLM practices, identifying when it…

In recent decades there have been numerous global and regional targets and initiatives to halt and reverse land degradation. The land degradation neutrality (LDN) target, embedded in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), provides a framework for countries to avoid or reduce…

Water is a human right - FUTURE OF WATER. As shortages worsen, safe drinking water and affordable sanitation is recognised by the United Nations as a human right

Monitoring SDG 15 in an EU context focuses on progress made in improving the status of ecosystems, in decelerating land degradation and in preserving biodiversity.

Africa’s soils hold the key to its food production and economic future, with agriculture accounting for 30 to 40 percent of the continent’s GDP. Food productivity on the continent is, however, plagued by soil degradation. As much as two-thirds of Africa’s arable lands could be lost by 2025 from the…

Entrepreneurs are taking advantage of market opportunities and government incentives to restore and manage farmland and forests sustainably. From tree-based crops to organic fertilizers to timber alternatives, these businesses are breathing new life into unproductive land. The Land Accelerator is…