Urgent Global Call for Action on Land Restoration and Food Systems to Combat Climate Change
Researchers from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and the Aeon Collective are issuing an emergency appeal for world leaders to focus on land restoration and food systems as essential measures to combat climate change and biodiversity decline. This urgent call is detailed in a new policy paper titled "Bending the Curve: A Call to Action on Land Restoration and Sustainability", which presents a robust framework aimed at reducing degraded land by 50% by 2050.
The policy paper addresses the severe repercussions of land degradation, including increased food insecurity, reduced water availability, and a heightened state of climate change due to impaired carbon sequestration. The researchers emphasize that land degradation not only results from climate change but is also a major contributing factor. In degraded environments, the potential for carbon sequestration is significantly diminished, leading to escalating global warming and lower agricultural productivity, consequently forcing unsustainable farming practices.
Launched during the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Riyadh, this event marks the first time the Middle East has been the host for such significant discussions on sustainability. KAUST's latest research underscores the critical need to enhance conservation efforts while fostering innovative financing methods and encouraging global cooperation.
Among the pivotal recommendations from the paper are several strategies aimed at promoting sustainability effectively:
1. Strengthening International Collaboration: By enhancing synergies among various UN Conventions related to climate, biodiversity, and land, countries can work together more efficiently to create and enforce integrated policy solutions. The establishment of an Integrated Conventions Panel is crucial for ensuring accountability and measuring progress across these initiatives.
2. Utilizing Technology and Data: The researchers advocate for employing artificial intelligence and earth observation technologies to monitor land health in real-time. By creating global standards for land health assessments, stakeholders will have consistent access to vital data.
3. Empowering Local Communities: Indigenous knowledge and inclusive governance must be prioritized to support local populations effectively. Smallholder farmers should gain access to land tenure, markets, and sustainable farming technologies to increase both productivity and resilience against environmental changes.
4. Promoting Sustainable Food Systems: The framework urges a transformation in food production to lessen environmental impacts. This includes adopting regenerative agriculture practices and aims to achieve a 75% reduction in food waste by 2050. Dietary changes toward plant-based foods and sustainably sourced seafood are also encouraged.
5. Setting Aspirational Post-2030 Land Degradation Targets: A commitment to cutting degraded land in half by 2050 and achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) by 2030 should align with global climate and biodiversity aspirations.
6. Mobilizing Innovative Financing: The introduction of Green Bonds and Sustainable Land Investment Funds could be pivotal in drawing private investment into expansive restoration ventures. Also, leveraging debt-for-nature swaps and blended financial models may support sustainable land management in developing regions.
The paper highlights the vital role of international agreements that prioritize ecosystem restoration for carbon capture, biodiversity support, and enhanced water management. Such efforts are critical in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change while improving resilience to extreme weather.
Professor Fernando Maestre, a notable expert in desertification and one of the authors of the report, asserts, "Food systems embody a core global issue intertwined with climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity loss, fundamentally impacting our developmental pathways."
His sentiments are echoed by Princess Noura bint Turki Al Saud and Princess Mashael bint Saud AlShalan, co-founders of Aeon Collective, who emphasize the need for genuine progress in sustainability within Saudi Arabia. They aspire to integrate economic development with ecological stewardship and cultural heritage to build thriving communities that coexist harmoniously with nature.
The ongoing COP16 conference, running from December 2 to 13, 2024, presents a valuable opportunity for international leaders to forge actionable commitments focused on combatting desertification and advancing sustainable land management practices.
The policy paper addresses the severe repercussions of land degradation, including increased food insecurity, reduced water availability, and a heightened state of climate change due to impaired carbon sequestration. The researchers emphasize that land degradation not only results from climate change but is also a major contributing factor. In degraded environments, the potential for carbon sequestration is significantly diminished, leading to escalating global warming and lower agricultural productivity, consequently forcing unsustainable farming practices.
Launched during the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Riyadh, this event marks the first time the Middle East has been the host for such significant discussions on sustainability. KAUST's latest research underscores the critical need to enhance conservation efforts while fostering innovative financing methods and encouraging global cooperation.
Among the pivotal recommendations from the paper are several strategies aimed at promoting sustainability effectively:
1. Strengthening International Collaboration: By enhancing synergies among various UN Conventions related to climate, biodiversity, and land, countries can work together more efficiently to create and enforce integrated policy solutions. The establishment of an Integrated Conventions Panel is crucial for ensuring accountability and measuring progress across these initiatives.
2. Utilizing Technology and Data: The researchers advocate for employing artificial intelligence and earth observation technologies to monitor land health in real-time. By creating global standards for land health assessments, stakeholders will have consistent access to vital data.
3. Empowering Local Communities: Indigenous knowledge and inclusive governance must be prioritized to support local populations effectively. Smallholder farmers should gain access to land tenure, markets, and sustainable farming technologies to increase both productivity and resilience against environmental changes.
4. Promoting Sustainable Food Systems: The framework urges a transformation in food production to lessen environmental impacts. This includes adopting regenerative agriculture practices and aims to achieve a 75% reduction in food waste by 2050. Dietary changes toward plant-based foods and sustainably sourced seafood are also encouraged.
5. Setting Aspirational Post-2030 Land Degradation Targets: A commitment to cutting degraded land in half by 2050 and achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) by 2030 should align with global climate and biodiversity aspirations.
6. Mobilizing Innovative Financing: The introduction of Green Bonds and Sustainable Land Investment Funds could be pivotal in drawing private investment into expansive restoration ventures. Also, leveraging debt-for-nature swaps and blended financial models may support sustainable land management in developing regions.
The paper highlights the vital role of international agreements that prioritize ecosystem restoration for carbon capture, biodiversity support, and enhanced water management. Such efforts are critical in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change while improving resilience to extreme weather.
Professor Fernando Maestre, a notable expert in desertification and one of the authors of the report, asserts, "Food systems embody a core global issue intertwined with climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity loss, fundamentally impacting our developmental pathways."
His sentiments are echoed by Princess Noura bint Turki Al Saud and Princess Mashael bint Saud AlShalan, co-founders of Aeon Collective, who emphasize the need for genuine progress in sustainability within Saudi Arabia. They aspire to integrate economic development with ecological stewardship and cultural heritage to build thriving communities that coexist harmoniously with nature.
The ongoing COP16 conference, running from December 2 to 13, 2024, presents a valuable opportunity for international leaders to forge actionable commitments focused on combatting desertification and advancing sustainable land management practices.
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