1. Impact of Land degradation, desertification and drought on sustainable development of LLDCs
NK, NYLO
United Nations Convention
to Combat Desertification
DLDD = Desertification Land Degradation & Drought

2. Areas affected by desertification and land degradation

3. Desertification affects over 40% of total world land area
Africa: Two thirds drylands, 73 % is moderately or severely affected
Asia: One third is drylands, 71% affected, All Pacific islands states face some sort of land degradation
North America proportion of drylands is 74%
Five European Union countries are affected
Latin America and the Caribbean: one fourth drylands, 75% affected
110 countries have drylands that are potentially at risk.
Over 250 million people are directly affected and
One billion under threat or at risk
Global desertification costs: US$42 Billion;

4. Land is a finite resource

5. Land ? DLDD: Some facts & figures DLDD Forest Sustainable Development
 More than 50% of agricultural moderately to severely degraded  LD directly affects 1,5 billion people
Sustainable
Development
globally
 75 billion tons of fertile soil disappear/year
Food Energy Water
 12 million ha/Year lost due to drought and desertification
Forest
 Six million km2 of drylands bear a legacy of desertification
 Biodiversity: 27,000 species lost each year due to LD
Land
 “Improved management of the world’s land (including terrestrial carbon)
represents 1/3rd of the overall global abatement potential in 2030
DLDD
Cli B

6. Main Causes of Desertification/land degradation
Human activity :over cultivation, over grazing
Deforestation
Poor agricultural practices
Drought and Climate Change

7. DLDD has far-reaching impacts
Increased to Drought & Water stress
Extreme
Food insecurity
Poverty
& Hunger
Increased
Biodiversity
emissions of GHG
Loss
Instability &
Deforestation
Migrations
Crises
DLDD has far-reaching impacts

9. Drylands and Conflicts (Cf. “Common Wealth” by J. Sachs)

10. Drought potential worldwide 2000-2098
Source : University Corporation for Atmospheric Research -

11. S

12. “Future We Want” Desertification, land degradation and drought
205. We recognize the economic and social significance of good land management,
including soil, particularly its contribution to economic growth, biodiversity,
sustainable agriculture and food security, eradicating poverty, the empowerment of
women, addressing climate change and improving water availability. We stress that
desertification, land degradation and drought are challenges of a global dimension
and continue to pose serious challenges to the sustainable development of all
countries, in particular developing countries. We also stress the particular challenges
this poses for Africa, the least developed countries and the landlocked developing
countries. In this regard, we express deep concern for the devastating consequences
of cyclical drought and famine in Africa, in particular in the Horn of Africa and the
Sahel region, and call for urgent action through short-, medium- and long-term
measures at all levels.
206. We recognize the need for urgent action to reverse land degradation. In view of
this, we will strive to achieve a land-degradation neutral world in the context of
sustainable development. This should act to catalyse financial resources from a
range of public and private sources.

13. The Economics of Land DegradationU
Cost of Action Vs Inaction
The Economics of Land Degradation

14. Intervention Options for ZNLD
Type 1 - High degradation trend
Rehabilitate if economically
or highly degraded lands: 25%
feasible; mitigate where
degrading trends are high
Type 2 - Moderate degradation
Introduce measure to mitigate
trend in slightly or moderately
degradation
degraded land: 8%
Type 3 - Stable land, slightly or
Preventive interventions
moderately degraded: 36%
Type 4 - Improving lands: 10%
Reinforcement of enabling
conditions which foster SLM
Source FAO SOLAW 2011

15. Source: W and the Gl

16. Holistic Managemt Drought & Water stress Food Security
Poverty eradication
Preserving the resource base for food security - Land
Improving livelihood through pro-poor policies on
Improving water availability &
productivity/Soil fertility
quality through sustainable
Sustainable Land & Water Management
improvement at the core of all long term strategies
land & water management
Climate change
Biodiversity
Land is a win-win context for adaptation, mitigation &
Holistic Managemt
Biodiversity conservation through improvement of land
resilience building
ecosystems’ conditions
Avoided
Avoiding Forced Migrations
Deforestation
Bio Energies
Sust. Land Management & Restoration of degraded Lands as an alternative to
Opportunities for Bio energies through biomass
Changing the DAM paradigm “Degrade-Abandon-Migrate”
production
Deforestation

17. Thank you
"If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory…”.