Urgent Call to Action by Researchers for Land Restoration and Sustainable Food Systems
Researchers from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), together with Aeon Collective, have put forth an urgent appeal for immediate action from global leaders. They emphasize the critical need to prioritize land restoration and sustainable food systems to combat the growing crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
In a newly released policy document titled "Bending the Curve - A Call to Action for Land Restoration and Sustainability," experts outline a comprehensive framework aiming to reduce degraded land by half by 2050. The goal is to reverse detrimental effects of soil degradation, which exacerbates food insecurity, depletes water resources, and heightens climate change due to diminished carbon sequestration capabilities.
Soil degradation not only arises from climate change; it also magnifies its impact. Degraded lands lose their ability to sequester carbon effectively, further accelerating global warming. Additionally, these lands yield lower crop outputs, driving unsustainable agricultural practices.
This call to action was launched at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—a historic moment as it represents the first hosting of the conference in the Middle East, underlining the region’s pivotal role in sustainable development discussions.
At the heart of the conference is the urgent need to combat desertification which highlights the necessity of investing in land and unlocking opportunities for restoration. The new research from KAUST underpins the need to speed up conservation efforts, innovate financing mechanisms, and bolster international cooperation.
Among the pivotal recommendations outlined in the document:
1. Strengthening International Collaboration: Increasing synergies among UN climate, biodiversity, and land conventions to provide unified political recommendations and oversee implementations.
2. Leveraging Technology and Data: Implementing AI and earth observation technologies for real-time monitoring and accountability. Establishing a global standard for land health monitoring to enhance governance and ensure consistent global data access.
3. Empowering Local Communities: Incorporating indigenous knowledge and promoting inclusive governance frameworks. Supporting smallholders by providing access to land ownership, markets, and sustainable agricultural technologies to strengthen productivity and resilience.
4. Promoting Sustainable Food Systems: Transforming food production practices to minimize environmental impacts, focusing on regenerative agriculture, and aiming to cut food waste by 75% by 2050. Encouraging dietary shifts towards more sustainable options, including increased consumption of plant-based foods and sustainably sourced seafood.
5. Setting Ambitious Soil Degradation Goals for Post-2030: Committing to halve degraded land areas by 2050 and achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030, aligning actions with global climate, biodiversity, and food systems policies.
6. Mobilizing Innovative Financing: Developing green bonds and investment funds targeting sustainable land projects to attract private capital for large-scale restoration initiatives. Additionally, implementing debt-for-nature swaps and blended financing models to support sustainable land management in developing countries.
International agreements are crucial, focusing on the restoration of ecosystems that sequester CO2, house diverse species, and enhance water management. These restoration activities play a vital role in mitigating climate change effects and improving resilience against extreme weather conditions. The research calls on policymakers to elevate the political profile of soil degradation issues and ensure that future strategies are grounded in scientific assessments and participatory processes.
Fernando Maestre, a KAUST professor and a renowned expert on desertification, noted that food systems intertwine with critical global challenges such as climate change, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss, being fundamental to sustainable development. Despite the existence of international agreements on climate action and biodiversity, food systems remain inadequately addressed by the international community.
Echoing this, Princess Noura bint Turki Al Saud and Princess Mashael bint Saud AlShalan, co-founders of Aeon Collective, emphasized their vision of transforming sustainability from an aspiration into reality by showcasing Saudi Arabia as a model for ecological and cultural integration, focused on creating vibrant communities in harmony with nature. Their collaboration with KAUST signifies a commitment to innovative solutions aimed at establishing a sustainable future for the next generations.
The COP16 conference, taking place from December 2 to 13, provides a platform for global leaders to discuss actionable strategies to combat desertification and enhance sustainable land management practices.
In a newly released policy document titled "Bending the Curve - A Call to Action for Land Restoration and Sustainability," experts outline a comprehensive framework aiming to reduce degraded land by half by 2050. The goal is to reverse detrimental effects of soil degradation, which exacerbates food insecurity, depletes water resources, and heightens climate change due to diminished carbon sequestration capabilities.
Soil degradation not only arises from climate change; it also magnifies its impact. Degraded lands lose their ability to sequester carbon effectively, further accelerating global warming. Additionally, these lands yield lower crop outputs, driving unsustainable agricultural practices.
This call to action was launched at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—a historic moment as it represents the first hosting of the conference in the Middle East, underlining the region’s pivotal role in sustainable development discussions.
At the heart of the conference is the urgent need to combat desertification which highlights the necessity of investing in land and unlocking opportunities for restoration. The new research from KAUST underpins the need to speed up conservation efforts, innovate financing mechanisms, and bolster international cooperation.
Among the pivotal recommendations outlined in the document:
1. Strengthening International Collaboration: Increasing synergies among UN climate, biodiversity, and land conventions to provide unified political recommendations and oversee implementations.
2. Leveraging Technology and Data: Implementing AI and earth observation technologies for real-time monitoring and accountability. Establishing a global standard for land health monitoring to enhance governance and ensure consistent global data access.
3. Empowering Local Communities: Incorporating indigenous knowledge and promoting inclusive governance frameworks. Supporting smallholders by providing access to land ownership, markets, and sustainable agricultural technologies to strengthen productivity and resilience.
4. Promoting Sustainable Food Systems: Transforming food production practices to minimize environmental impacts, focusing on regenerative agriculture, and aiming to cut food waste by 75% by 2050. Encouraging dietary shifts towards more sustainable options, including increased consumption of plant-based foods and sustainably sourced seafood.
5. Setting Ambitious Soil Degradation Goals for Post-2030: Committing to halve degraded land areas by 2050 and achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030, aligning actions with global climate, biodiversity, and food systems policies.
6. Mobilizing Innovative Financing: Developing green bonds and investment funds targeting sustainable land projects to attract private capital for large-scale restoration initiatives. Additionally, implementing debt-for-nature swaps and blended financing models to support sustainable land management in developing countries.
International agreements are crucial, focusing on the restoration of ecosystems that sequester CO2, house diverse species, and enhance water management. These restoration activities play a vital role in mitigating climate change effects and improving resilience against extreme weather conditions. The research calls on policymakers to elevate the political profile of soil degradation issues and ensure that future strategies are grounded in scientific assessments and participatory processes.
Fernando Maestre, a KAUST professor and a renowned expert on desertification, noted that food systems intertwine with critical global challenges such as climate change, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss, being fundamental to sustainable development. Despite the existence of international agreements on climate action and biodiversity, food systems remain inadequately addressed by the international community.
Echoing this, Princess Noura bint Turki Al Saud and Princess Mashael bint Saud AlShalan, co-founders of Aeon Collective, emphasized their vision of transforming sustainability from an aspiration into reality by showcasing Saudi Arabia as a model for ecological and cultural integration, focused on creating vibrant communities in harmony with nature. Their collaboration with KAUST signifies a commitment to innovative solutions aimed at establishing a sustainable future for the next generations.
The COP16 conference, taking place from December 2 to 13, provides a platform for global leaders to discuss actionable strategies to combat desertification and enhance sustainable land management practices.
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