All publications and documents

This working paper describes the interconnections (the “nexus”) between land tenure and land restoration, and how secure tenure is needed to avoid, reduce or reverse land degradation. It draws on case studies in 12 countries, as well as the wider literature, to show the importance of tenure rights in restoration work. At the core of the suggested approach to restoration are concerns about how to…

Urbanization and ecosystems are profoundly intertwined. As urbanization takes over more land and has greater impacts on ecosystems, and as towns and cities of all sizes demand ecosystem services (food, fiber, water, energy, etc.), flows of people, goods, services, information, capital, etc. define and drive urban–rural linkages in complex and intricate patterns.

Young people all over the world participate in both policy and action to avoid, minimize and reverse land and ecosystem degradation. The youth make their voice heard on multiple restoration policy platforms and by taking action on themes such as climate change and biodiversity. But their ability to act as agents of change in restoration is influenced by their geographical, biophysical and socio…

“To keep the 1.5-degree limit agreed in Paris within reach, we need to cut global emissions by 45 percent this decade. But current climate pledges would mean a 14 percent increase in emissions,” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his statement on the release of the Panel’s Working Group III AR6 Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change report. In…

The pressure on land is growing in many regions of the world, due to the increasing demand for arable crops, meat and dairy products, bio-energy and timber, and is exacerbated by land degradation and climate change. This policy report provides scenario projections for the UNCCD Global Land Outlook, exploring future changes to the use and condition of land and the resulting impacts on food, water,…

Under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework, Africa is pursuing broad-based development by addressing constraints to its long-term growth and transformation. The development vision of Africa is anchored on Agenda 2063, articulated through the Africa We Want, and the United Nations Agenda 2030. To meet these goals, by leveraging the immense potential of the continent, further bold…