France’s international strategic guidelines for combating land degradation and desertification (2020-2030)
Publication year
Resource type
UNCCD Library
Material Type
Book
Desertification is defined as “land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various
factors, including climatic variations and human activities”1. It corresponds to a specific form of land degradation in dry
areas (arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas), impacting their potential for biological and economic productivity,
and not strictly to the growth of deserts.
The concentration of populations and the development of several activities, such as agro-sylvo-pastoral activities that are often not adapted to local conditions, are the main drivers of desertification. Renewable natural resources are therefore overexploited and do not have the time to regenerate themselves, and drought further accentuates this degradation. Dry areas, subject to significant water stress, represent 40% of the surface of the planet, across all of the continents, and are home to more than 2 billion people (and up to 4 billion by 2050), including the poorest and most vulnerable populations. Today, a little over 40% of the least developed countries (LDCs) are affected by desertification and its economic, social and environmental consequences.
Land degradation and drought that are gaining in intensity and spreading across the planet make more and more areas vulnerable to desertification. It is both urgent and imperative that we find adapted and efficient solutions to combat land degradation and to prevent desertification, by preserving biodiversity and water resources, and limiting the effects of climate change. France has committed to support countries threatened by desertification by ratifying the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), adopted in Paris in 1994, and ratified by 196 States and the European Union (EU). This convention is the cornerstone of international action in terms of combating land degradation and desertification. Along with the two other conventions from the 1992 Rio Summit2, it represents one of the most significant multilateral agreements on the environment, and stands out for the participative aspect of its implementation and the important role it accords to civil society.
Desertification is a gradual degradation of soils in drylands, affecting their biological and economic potential. Today, more than 3.2 billion people worldwide live on around 2 billion hectares of degraded land. Moreover, 500 million people live in areas already affected by desertification. This growing phenomenon now affects all continents and is a genuine danger for human health, biodiversity, the climate, food security, stability and security.
France has long been committed to supporting the efforts of countries threatened by desertification, thanks to its ratification of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), adopted in Paris in 1994. France has created global initiatives, including the 4 per 1000 initiative and the Green Initiative for the Sahel, and supported many more. Given the importance of desertification issues for both the environment and social and economic development, France adapted its strategic framework to combat desertification and land degradation worldwide for the period 2020-2030.
This new strategic framework supports the following goals:
• Contributing to France’s development policy to combat global inequalities and preserve global public goods, addressing the root causes of mutually reinforcing crises which affect all continents;
• Guiding ministries, agencies, NGOs and scientists, as well as other French actors, in their support to the most vulnerable populations seeking to prevent degradation of land and manage it more sustainably.
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
Directorate-General for Globalization, Culture, Education and International Development
Directorate for Sustainable Development
Environment and Climate Department
factors, including climatic variations and human activities”1. It corresponds to a specific form of land degradation in dry
areas (arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas), impacting their potential for biological and economic productivity,
and not strictly to the growth of deserts.
The concentration of populations and the development of several activities, such as agro-sylvo-pastoral activities that are often not adapted to local conditions, are the main drivers of desertification. Renewable natural resources are therefore overexploited and do not have the time to regenerate themselves, and drought further accentuates this degradation. Dry areas, subject to significant water stress, represent 40% of the surface of the planet, across all of the continents, and are home to more than 2 billion people (and up to 4 billion by 2050), including the poorest and most vulnerable populations. Today, a little over 40% of the least developed countries (LDCs) are affected by desertification and its economic, social and environmental consequences.
Land degradation and drought that are gaining in intensity and spreading across the planet make more and more areas vulnerable to desertification. It is both urgent and imperative that we find adapted and efficient solutions to combat land degradation and to prevent desertification, by preserving biodiversity and water resources, and limiting the effects of climate change. France has committed to support countries threatened by desertification by ratifying the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), adopted in Paris in 1994, and ratified by 196 States and the European Union (EU). This convention is the cornerstone of international action in terms of combating land degradation and desertification. Along with the two other conventions from the 1992 Rio Summit2, it represents one of the most significant multilateral agreements on the environment, and stands out for the participative aspect of its implementation and the important role it accords to civil society.
Desertification is a gradual degradation of soils in drylands, affecting their biological and economic potential. Today, more than 3.2 billion people worldwide live on around 2 billion hectares of degraded land. Moreover, 500 million people live in areas already affected by desertification. This growing phenomenon now affects all continents and is a genuine danger for human health, biodiversity, the climate, food security, stability and security.
France has long been committed to supporting the efforts of countries threatened by desertification, thanks to its ratification of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), adopted in Paris in 1994. France has created global initiatives, including the 4 per 1000 initiative and the Green Initiative for the Sahel, and supported many more. Given the importance of desertification issues for both the environment and social and economic development, France adapted its strategic framework to combat desertification and land degradation worldwide for the period 2020-2030.
This new strategic framework supports the following goals:
• Contributing to France’s development policy to combat global inequalities and preserve global public goods, addressing the root causes of mutually reinforcing crises which affect all continents;
• Guiding ministries, agencies, NGOs and scientists, as well as other French actors, in their support to the most vulnerable populations seeking to prevent degradation of land and manage it more sustainably.
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
Directorate-General for Globalization, Culture, Education and International Development
Directorate for Sustainable Development
Environment and Climate Department
Keywords
land degradation
desertification
guidelines
policies to combat desertification
Documents