Sustainable Land Use Practices and Management in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
 
In his presentation of this topic, Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, said 12 million hectares of land are lost to land degradation every year. This is an area the size of Benin. He speculated that little is known about this loss because desertification and drought creep up on us, silently, rendering them invisible. He suggested that prevailing misperceptions about the issue is also a factor, and noted that the media perpetuates some of these misperceptions. He then took apart three misperceptions: that desertification is a far away issue that does not affect everyone; land degradation is less urgent than climate change; and drylands are marginal and unproductive.
Mr. Gnacadja noted that the media also have difficulties reporting the good news associated with the drylands. For example, he pointed to the significant potential in land improvement, 16% of which occurred in the drylands between 1981 and 2006, which has not been picked up by the media. Mr Gnacadja described the unparalleled but untapped potential for soil carbon sequestration and the significance of sustainable land and water management for adaptation. He urged the media to ensure desertification is given due attention as funding gets increasingly influenced by interest in the climate change issue.
Mr Gnacadja concluded by reiterating that:
  • The human face of climate change is to be seen in the drylands of the world.
  • The world media has a hard time telling the desertification story when there are plenty more sensational stories, and the media has sustained some misperceptions about desertification.
  • Global land improvement is the result of the ecosystem services provided by the poor in the drylands, and they should get rewarded for this contribution.
  • The abilities of soil for adaptation and mitigation are unparalleled.
  • The issue is how to reconcile the competing needs of meeting basic needs with those of addressing climate change. Sustainable land and water management provides a cost-effective way out of these challenges.

 

Statement of Mr. Luc Gnacadja

Presentation of Mr. Luc Gnacadja

 
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