Funding Opportunities in the Field of SLM for the Annex V countries of the UNCCD
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UNCCD Library
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ebook
Europe’s soil resources are being lost and degraded as a result of the negative effects of development of economic sectors, including agriculture, households, industry, transport and tourism, as well as climate change and land-use change. The degree of soil degradation varies considerably from country to country, but the vulnerability of the region is evident and estimated to be increasing. In some parts of Southern and Central-Eastern Europe, the degradation is so severe that it has led to desertification and the reduction of the soil’s capability to support human communities.
The Annex V countries of the UNCCD are classified as having dry sub-humid to semi-arid climate with many of the areas in the region highly affected by soil degradation and desertification. The region is also facing several challenges related to inappropriate irrigation practices, deforestation, excessive use and exploitation of water resources, salinization and the exhaustion of aquifers. Land is the space where all these unsustainable practices and challenges take place. As land resources are used for different purposes, improper land management may produce trade-offs, conflicts and competitions. On the contrary, sustainable land management (SLM) helps to gain all the benefits that the green economy promises by providing positive impacts on the environment, economy and society. SLM-smart investments have the potential to achieve higher returns on investments than business as usual. SLM can be defined differently within each country depending on the country-specific context. One general definition defined by TerrAfrica partnership is that “SLM is the adaptation of land use systems that, through appropriate management practices, enable land users to maximize the economic and social benefits from the land while maintaining or enhancing the ecological support functions of the land resources”. To reverse, control and prevent land degradation and desertification and promote SLM, a number of countries in the region have prepared and submitted their NAPs, whilst others are being prepared (see table 1). The preparation of Regional Action Programme (RAP) is also in process.
The Annex V countries of the UNCCD are classified as having dry sub-humid to semi-arid climate with many of the areas in the region highly affected by soil degradation and desertification. The region is also facing several challenges related to inappropriate irrigation practices, deforestation, excessive use and exploitation of water resources, salinization and the exhaustion of aquifers. Land is the space where all these unsustainable practices and challenges take place. As land resources are used for different purposes, improper land management may produce trade-offs, conflicts and competitions. On the contrary, sustainable land management (SLM) helps to gain all the benefits that the green economy promises by providing positive impacts on the environment, economy and society. SLM-smart investments have the potential to achieve higher returns on investments than business as usual. SLM can be defined differently within each country depending on the country-specific context. One general definition defined by TerrAfrica partnership is that “SLM is the adaptation of land use systems that, through appropriate management practices, enable land users to maximize the economic and social benefits from the land while maintaining or enhancing the ecological support functions of the land resources”. To reverse, control and prevent land degradation and desertification and promote SLM, a number of countries in the region have prepared and submitted their NAPs, whilst others are being prepared (see table 1). The preparation of Regional Action Programme (RAP) is also in process.
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funding strategies
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