All publications and documents

Sustainable Develop. Goal indicator 15.3.1 measures the proportion of degraded land. •The Land Productivity Dynamics indicator can be used as part of the SDG 15.3.1. •LPDynR is a new tool to calculate the Land Productivity Dynamics indicator. •LPDynR uses time series of remote sensed vegetation indices. •LPDynR produces a 5-class map ranging from declining to increasing…

Nature-based solutions can significantly contribute to restoration projects in areas affected by desertification processes, where they are necessary for reversing land degradation. Currently, one innovative solution is The Cocoon™, which has been designed as a new ecotechnology for improving seedling establishment. The Cocoon consists of a doughnut-shaped container made of recycled cardboard that…

Drought is an important natural hazard in southwestern North America, and there is strong evidence that climate change is already increasing the severity of droughts in the region. Using the latest, state-of-the-art climate change projections, we find that warming in the future will increase the risk of both extreme single-year and 21-year soil moisture droughts that are similar to major events…

Climate change literacy encompasses being aware of both climate change and its anthropogenic cause, and thus underpins informed mitigation and adaptation responses. However, climate change literacy rates and their predictors remain poorly understood across the Global South. Here analysis of Africa’s largest representative public opinion survey shows climate change literacy ranges from 23 to 66%…

Loss and Damage studies have tended to focus on rapid-onset events with lesser attention to slow-onset events such as drought. Even when discussed, narratives around droughts emphasize implications on rural populations and there remain empirical and conceptual gaps on drought impacts in urban areas. The authors focus on losses and damages associated with urban drought and water…

Drought is a complex phenomenon that is difficult to characterize and monitor. Accurate and timely communication is necessary to ensure that affected sectors and the public can respond and manage associated risks and impacts. To that end, myriad drought indicators, indices, and other tools have been developed and made available, but understanding and using this information can challenge end users…