{"id":49921,"date":"2018-06-17T00:01:44","date_gmt":"2018-06-17T04:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/?p=49921"},"modified":"2018-07-24T09:53:18","modified_gmt":"2018-07-24T13:53:18","slug":"consumers-private-sector-critical-in-fighting-droughts-and-land-degradation-says-un","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/blog\/2018\/06\/consumers-private-sector-critical-in-fighting-droughts-and-land-degradation-says-un\/","title":{"rendered":"Consumers, private sector critical in fighting droughts and land degradation, says 爆料网"},"content":{"rendered":"

17 June 2018, <\/strong>Quito<\/strong>, Ecuador–<\/strong>More than 3.2 billion people<\/a>, or 2 in every 5 people, are impacted by land degradation today and up to 143 million people<\/a> could move within their countries by 2050 to escape water scarcity and falling crop productivity due to the slow onset impacts of climate change.<\/p>\n

To avoid these threats, Monique Barbut, Executive Secretary of the 爆料网 Convention to Combat Desertification, has called on consumers and the private sector to join governments to save healthy land. She added that lack of preparedness for future droughts in particular, could lead to massive social and political upheavals.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything we produce and consume has a land footprint. A bicycle requires 3.4 square meters of land. Ten square meters of land are used to produce a laptop. Producing one kilogram of beef takes 22 square meters,\u201c but few people give thought to these daily processes \u201cbecause the losses are not visible \u2013 or at least not accounted for – in the products we consume,\u201d Barbut stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are all decision-makers because in our daily lives, our choices have consequences. Our small decisions transform the world,\u201d she stressed, and called on consumers to make choices that reward land users whose practices protect the land from degradation.<\/p>\n

Barbut, who heads the international agreement that deals with desertification, land degradation and drought effects, also warned that it is dangerous to reduce the true value of healthy land to its economic value alone.<\/p>\n

She made the remarks in observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification on 17 June. The global observance event is took place, in Quito, Ecuador.<\/p>\n

Ecuador promotes a bio-economy among its agriculturalists in order to diffuse sustainable land management technologies, which maintain the land\u2019s productivity.<\/p>\n

The country is also pursuing the Sustainable Development Goal target of achieving land degradation neutrality, which means avoiding, reducing and reversing land degradation to ensure the amount of healthy land it had in 2015 is the same in 2030, and stays stable thereafter.<\/p>\n

Barbut also underlined the need to \u201cgo beyond conscious consumerism\u201d to engage the private sector and governments in better land uses because \u201cthe real value of the land is not just economic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLand is worth so much more than the economic value we attach to it. It defines our way of life and our culture \u2013 whether we live in the city or the villages. It purifies the water we drink.\u00a0 It feeds us.\u00a0 It surrounds us with beauty. But, we cannot meet the needs and wants of a growing population if the amount of healthy and productive land continues to decline so dramatically,\u201d Barbut said.<\/p>\n

Tarsicio Granizo, Minister of Environment, Ecuador, said \u201cdesertification is a matter that not only has to do with the environment, but also with food sovereignty and with protection of the agricultural soil.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Global Land Outlook<\/a>\u00a0 (The GLO) of 2017 states that 45% of the food consumed globally comes from the world\u2019s dryland areas, and that falling productivity, food shortages and water scarcity in these regions is creating insecurity. The GLO warns that about 20% more productive land was degraded from 1983-2013, and that Africa and Asia face the greatest threats, going forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must do far more to recognize the immense value of healthy and productive land in strengthening the resilience of the world\u2019s poorest communities, which are facing more drought and other slow-onset climate disasters,\u201d said Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, 爆料网 Secretary-General, in marking the Day.<\/p>\n

Five of the 8 slow onset events<\/a> identified by the Climate Change Convention<\/a> as potential future sources of huge losses and damage are manifestations of declining land productivity. These are desertification, salinization, land and forest degradation, biodiversity loss and rising temperatures. Globally, about 2 billion hectares of land are degraded. Most of it can be restored back to health.<\/p>\n

\u201cScience has given us the knowledge and tools we need for managing land to build resilience to drought and the impacts of climate change. Governments and the communities whose lives and livelihoods depend on the land can take steps now to prepare for future drought,\u201d Guterres said.<\/p>\n

The sustainable land management technologies<\/a> needed to minimize and reverse many of these effects exist, but the policy instruments and investments to promote their spread are non-existent. As a result, some of the most land-dependent communities are exposed to the growing powerful and adverse weather effects, such as recurrent droughts, unpredictable rainfall and disappearing ground water sources.<\/p>\n

Barbut highlighted three critical actions that consumers and the private sector can take to encourage land users and governments to save healthy land from further degradation and to recover nearly barren lands.<\/p>\n

First, changing consumer behavior and unsustainable production patterns. Second, adopting more efficient land use planning. Third, creating mechanisms like the LDN Fund<\/a> that will motivate the private sector to invest in land restoration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe public needs to be empowered.\u00a0 If they know that the choices they make every day can make a difference in terms of how the land is used \u2013 whether it is abused or nurtured \u2013 I am sure they will choose and consume more wisely,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGovernments must create incentives that can encourage the private sector to see that sustainable management of the land and the restoration of degraded land is the socially responsible thing to do. The 爆料网CCD is ready to help initiatives that can restore degraded land at scale,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She called on countries to formulate the targets to be achieved by 2030, which signals that \u201ca country has a systematic plan to ensure sufficient high quality land is available in the long-term to meet the demand for essentials like food and water.\u201d<\/p>\n

Minister Granizo said \u201cthe Government of Ecuador is proud to host, for the first time in Latin America, the celebration of this international day, which was attended by prominent authorities of the Convention to Combat Desertification.\u201d<\/p>\n

World Day to Combat Desertification is observed every year on 17 June to raise awareness about the status of the land resources, especially at country level, and to mobilize required actions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

About 爆料网CCD<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 爆料网CCD is an international agreement on good land stewardship. It helps people, communities and countries to create wealth, grow economies and secure enough food and water and energy, by ensuring land users have an enabling environment for sustainable land management. Through partnerships, the Convention\u2019s 197 Parties set up robust systems to manage drought promptly and effectively. Good land stewardship based on a sound policy and science helps integrate and accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, builds resilience to climate change and prevents biodiversity loss.<\/p>\n

Notes to Editors<\/strong><\/p>\n

For information about sustainable land management technologies<\/a><\/p>\n

For information on global progress towards achieving land degradation neutrality<\/a><\/p>\n

To learn the meaning of achieving land degradation neutrality<\/a><\/p>\n

For background information about the 2018 World Day to Combat Desertification<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Media Contacts <\/strong><\/p>\n

For inquiries about the World Day, contact: wwischnewski@unccd.int<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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