UN chief scientist on desertification urges halting land degradation

Madrid, June 17 (EFE).- The chief scientist of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Barron Joseph Orr, has urged the acceleration of on-the-ground measures to address land degradation "as soon as possible."

In an interview with EFE, Orr, a leading expert in the field of desertification—land degradation in arid areas—believes that what is being done now to combat the problem is "not enough" but admits that "some steps have been taken in the right direction that should lead to success."

"We can slow land degradation and turn it into a positive trajectory, which is our ultimate goal, even if this requires addressing environmental, economic, and social objectives, using land as a foundation," he argues.

His message is hopeful, although he warns that "unequivocally, none of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals—aimed at protecting the planet and fighting poverty in pursuit of a more just and sustainable world—will be achieved without a healthy earth." Achieving this, he admits, is a "complex and global problem, with very different manifestations at the local level."

In contrast to the lack of knowledge that prevailed in the 1970s, when this phenomenon began to be analyzed and solutions sought, science is now available. "There is political will and nearly 1.2 trillion hectares of commitments worldwide, which puts us on the path to achieving the goals we need," he emphasizes. We also have what is known as "Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN)," "a holistic approach aimed at achieving no net loss, combining conservation, sustainable agriculture, and restoration in a much more strategic way, country by country," although "more action is needed on the ground."

Success stories

Co-lead author of the scientific framework on LDN—in which the loss of productive land is offset by the restoration of degraded areas—adopted by 197 parties at the UNCCD in 2017, Orr emphasizes the urgency of acting "as soon as possible, because as temperatures rise, the land's capacity to retain carbon declines."

"It's a critical foundational element for addressing climate change and will be key to long-term success on the climate change front. This is about the future," he emphasizes. Therefore, "we must optimize what we do, and where we do it, slow down the pace, and halt land conversion so we can focus more on restoration to meet future needs," he emphasizes.

In the fight against desertification, there are some real "success stories" in some parts of the world that have succeeded, for example, in linking land restoration with sustainable agricultural practices. One of these is the so-called Great Green Wall of the Sahel (southern Sahara), a project designed to halt desertification in that region "and which is now being replicated in southern Africa," in addition to being introduced in countries like China "with great success."

Financial push and emphasis on land at COP30

Asked about the objectives that will be pursued at the upcoming COP30, which will be held in November in Belém, Brazil, the expert anticipates that "there will be a strong emphasis on forests, land restoration, and ecosystem protection."

There, negotiations on climate finance will be intensified, and therefore, "land finance with a very broad target of $1.3 trillion (...); and will include Brazil's efforts to launch the 'Tropical Forests Forever Facility' initiative (designed to reduce deforestation with incentives for countries that protect their forests).

"I know it was already a major challenge at the last COP, but I would like to see a major step forward in terms of finance. Progress was made in Azerbaijan, and I would like to see further progress on this, with a very strong emphasis on land," he concludes. EFE prc/icn