In its flagship report, the WBGU elaborates explicitly on the fact that the technological potential for comprehensive
decarbonisation is available, outlines business and financing models for the transition, and points out
that the political instruments needed for a climatefriendly transformation are widely known.

Land degradation, desertification and sustainable land management issues, water scarcity and biodiversity, DESERTEC solar project, energy resources and energy potentials, the role of NGOs as international policy pioneers have been also reflected. However, from a global perspective, in comparison with soil improvement, land degradation is the dominating trend: in many developing countries, land degradation threatens food security and the development potential of rural areas.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) addresses land degradation and desertification,
important areas for development cooperation for many decades now. Effective climate change mitigation can hardly be achieved without sustainable land use. To date, desertification has caused the release of an estimated 18–28 Gt C (the equivalent of 66–103 Gt CO2) of soil carbon. (FAO 2009)