Environmental management — Guidelines for establishing good practices for combatting land degradation and desertification — Part 2: Regional case studies
( see also Environmental management - Guidelines for establishing good practices for combatting land degradation and desertification- Part 1: Good practices framework published in 2017 , referenced in our catalogue )

This document provides regional case studies of good practices in land management to prevent or minimize land degradation and desertification in support of ISO 14055-1:2017.
The case studies are presented to facilitate the application of ISO 14055-1 across a wide of range of geographical and local conditions.

NOTE The cases studies are presented as different ways of applying good practice and do not preclude alternative ways of applying good practices in accordance with ISO 14055-1.

Land degradation and desertification are fundamental and persistent problems that have long been recognized. They are caused by climate variability (e.g. drought and floods), other natural factors and unsustainable human activities, such as over-cultivation, overgrazing, deforestation, over-extraction of water, impacts of construction activities and unsustainable irrigation practices. These activities can lead to loss of vegetation and biodiversity, declining water supply and poor water quality, soil erosion and the loss of soil fertility and structure. The consequences in the medium to long term are loss of agricultural and economic productivity, loss of soil quality and function and loss of ecosystem services, including biodiversity loss and adverse social impacts.

The IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land, Summary for Policymakers, noted that “human use directly affects more than 70 % of the global, ice-free land surface” and that “about a quarter of the Earth’s ice-free land area is subject to human-induced degradation”[3]. Le et al.[4] estimated that at least 3,2 billion people were affected [by land degradation], while Barbier and Hochard[1][2] estimated that 1,33 billion people were affected, of which 95 % were living in developing countries[5].

Land degradation is a driver of climate change through loss of carbon stocks in vegetation and soil, albedo changes and reduced capacity to sequester carbon as soil fertility declines. Furthermore, land degradation is exacerbated by climate change; for example, through reduction in ground cover caused by increased incidence of drought, and enhanced erosion caused by increased frequency and intensity of storms.

Recognizing the significance of land degradation leading to desertification in dryland areas, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)[6] was developed to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought in dryland regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The UNCCD recognizes desertification as a social and economic issue as much as an environmental concern. Therefore, it has a major focus on fighting poverty and promoting sustainable development in areas at risk of desertification. Parties to the UNCCD agreed to implement national, regional and subregional action programmes, and to seek to address causes of land degradation, such as unsustainable land management. This document is intended to complement and support the activities of the UNCCD by providing guidance to land managers on the establishment of good management practices that, when implemented, will reduce the risk of land degradation and desertification and assist in rehabilitation of lands affected by degradation.

Land managers expected to benefit from the document include land users, technical experts, private and public organizations, and policymakers involved in the management of land resources for ecological, productivity, economic or social objectives.

The purpose of this document is to provide case studies, in support of ISO 14055-1, on the management of land degradation from all hemispheres of the globe and across tropical, sub-tropical and temperate climates, and from a variety of topographical areas, including deserts, wetlands and marginal landscapes. Participating communities include those with poor economic profiles and limited resources, and those evidencing some wealth and access to technology and the benefits of research.

This document aims to make ISO 14055-1 more relevant and understood, and to promote its use through an illustration of regional case studies and examples that support the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030[7] of SDG 15 (life on land) and SDG 13 (climate action). This document engages a broad range of stakeholders and countries to benefit from their initiatives in combatting environmental degradation and desertification.


See also the previous part One published in 2017 ( reference links above)

Environmental management - Guidelines for establishing good practices for combatting land degradation and desertification- Part 1: Good practices framework

Our consumption of the earth’s natural reserves has doubled in the last 30 years and a third of the planet’s land is now severely degraded. There is an urgent need to find solutions for land management policy, planning and practices.

A new ISO standard will help land managers at global and national scales put in place best practices to combat land degradation. The recently published ISO 14055-1:2017, Environmental management – Guidelines for establishing good practices for combatting land degradation and desertification – Part 1: Good practices framework, provides guidelines for developing good practices to combat land degradation and desertification in arid and non-arid regions.

The standard refers to actions or interventions undertaken with the purpose of preventing or minimizing land degradation or, where land is already degraded, aiding its recovery to improve productivity and ecosystem health.

Because managing our land-based capital impacts directly on human livelihood and health, the standard covers the various topics that must be considered when establishing good practices, such as the respect for human rights, forest management and agricultural practices, climate conditions and industrial activities, among others.
Soil erosion, loss of fertility, declining biodiversity and reduced water supplies are all classic signs of land degradation and up to 20 % of the world’s drylands* and 25 % of cropland, pastures, forests and woodlands** are estimated to be negatively affected.

The standard will be beneficial for land managers, technical experts, organizations and policy makers worldwide who are interested in combating the effects of land degradation. It can also complement and support the activities of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas .

ISO 14055-1:2017 provides guidelines for establishing good practices in land management to prevent or minimize land degradation and desertification. It does not include management of coastal wetlands.
ISO 14055-1:2017 defines a framework for identifying good practices in land management, based on assessment of the drivers of land degradation and risks associated with current and past practices. Guidance on monitoring and reporting implementation of good practices is also provided.
ISO 14055-1:2017 is intended for use by private and public sector organizations with responsibility for land management and will allow an organization to communicate implementation of good practices.