Neutrality and transformation? Land Degradation Neutrality & - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Neutrality and transformation?

Nathalie van Haren, Both ENDS - Amsterdam, The Netherlands 10 October 2016

Land Degradation Neutrality & possible chances for land governance

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 15 aims at sustaining life on land and includes a target (15.3) that makes explicit reference to land degradation neutrality: “By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation neutral world”

UNCCD Land Degradation Neutrality definition

The UNCCD defines LDN: “a state whereby the amount and quality of land resources necessary to support ecosystem functions and services and enhance food security remain stable

• r increase within specified temporal and spatial

scales and ecosystems”

3 Land Degradation Neutrality objectives

1) Maintain or improve the sustainable delivery of ecosystem services: Recognise ecological functions of different ecosystems; protect or restore vulnerable natural and managed ecosystems and safeguard the services these provide. Land degradation and desertification cause a decline in the many essential services provided by ecosystems including provision of food and fibre, carbon sequestration, regulation of water supply, conservation of (agro) biodiversity and cultural heritage.

3 Land Degradation Neutrality objectives

2) Seek synergies with other social, economic and environmental objectives: Sustainable land management practices reduce the levels and risk of land degradation, build soil carbon, support biomass production and sustain the productivity of the land, thus reducing pressure on natural systems. SLM practices improve soil fertility, water use efficiency, above and below ground biodiversity, and ultimately land productivity, which provides a wide range of benefits to society, while minimising adverse impacts on natural ecosystems and contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation 3) Reinforce responsible governance of land tenure: Govern land tenure for the benefit of all, with the emphasis

• n vulnerable and marginalised people.

Principles underpinning the vision of LDN

1.Maintain or enhance land-based natural capital: LDN is achieved when the quantity and quality of land-based natural capital is stable or increasing. 2.Protect human rights: Actions taken in pursuit of the LDN target should not compromise the rights of land users (especially small- scale farmers and indigenous populations) to derive economic benefit and increased food security from their activities on the land. 3.Respect national sovereignty: Governments set national targets guided by the global level of ambition while taking into account national circumstances. Governments decide the level

• f aspiration and how LDN targets are incorporated in

national planning processes, policies and strategies.

Indicators and associated metrics for LDN

• 1. the UNCCD progress reporting indicators and

associated metrics: land cover; land productivity; carbon stocks These are also being considered for monitoring SDG 15.3 indicator 15.3.1 “Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area”;

• 2. a biodiversity indicator (the Red List Index);
• 3. other SDG indicators, and;
• 4. other national indicators.

7 Principles related to achieving neutrality (1)

• 1. Balance economic, social and environmental

sustainability

• 2. Base land use decisions on multi-variable

assessments

• 3. Work within existing planning processes
• 4. Apply the response hierarchy

The LDN response hierarchy

Options for reversing land degradation

Options for reversing land degradation: (i) restoration to the “original state” or some reference condition, or (ii) rehabilitation, that improves the land without the expectation of reaching pre- disturbance condition, or (iii) reclamation, to a different but useful state

7 Principles related to achieving neutrality (2)

5.Quantify projected land degradation 6.Apply a participatory process 7.Apply good governance by: Applying the principles and standards of the Voluntary Guidelines for the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land to ensure tenure rights and security in the pursuit of LDN; Developing a mechanism for the coordination of integrated land use and management planning across scales and sectors to ensure stakeholder input to national decision-making and reporting; Developing a mechanism for the review of implementation and recommendations for improvement; Ensuring accountability and transparency.

Indicators for land degradation

Land Cover can be mapped by using nationally-

refined FAO LCCS classes, where change in class may be characterised as positive or negative. Land productivity can be assessed through estimates

• f Net Primary Productivity (NPP, in tons Dry Matter

per hectare per year: tDM/ha/yr) Carbon stocks can be assessed through estimates of Soil Organic Carbon stock (tons Carbon per hectare: tC/ha, to 30 cm)

The target equals the reference level because the goal of LDN is to achieve no net loss

Combining the indicators to evaluate LDN status

Together the 3 indicators give good insight in the status of the land However, gains in 1 of these indicators cannot compensate for losses in the another because all 3 are complementary (not additive) components of land Therefore, the conceptual framework opts for:

• ne out – all out

A hypothetical example of monitoring neutrality for a specific land unit: grassland

A1 Land Area: 15.000 ha Use: short grazing period Status: not degraded A2 Land Area: 25.000 ha Use: grazing excluded Status: not degraded A3 Land Area: 10.000 ha Use: long grazing excluded Status: degraded A4 Land Area: 40.000 ha Use: medium grazing period Status: degraded A5 Land Area: 10.000 ha Use: short grazing period Status: not degraded Reference level in 2015 Land cover: grassland Net Primary Productivity: 11,7 tDM/ha/yr Soil Organic Carbon: 54,4 tC/ha Reference level in 2015 Land cover: grassland Net Primary Productivity: 12,8 tDM/ha/yr Soil Organic Carbon: 63,3 tC/ha Reference level in 2015 Land cover: grassland Net Primary Productivity: 6,5 tDM/ha/yr Soil Organic Carbon: 51,1 tC/ha Reference level in 2015 Land cover: grassland Net Primary Productivity: 10,3 tDM/ha/yr Soil Organic Carbon: 47,6 tC/ha Reference level in 2015 Land cover: grassland Net Primary Productivity: 11,9 tDM/ha/yr Soil Organic Carbon: 54,6 tC/ha

Land cover: grassland Net Primary Productivity: 11,7 tDM/ha/yr Soil Organic Carbon: 54,4 tC/ha Land cover: grassland Net Primary Productivity: 12,8 tDM/ha/yr Soil Organic Carbon: 63,3 tC/ha Land cover: grassland Net Primary Productivity: 6,5 tDM/ha/yr Soil Organic Carbon: 51,1 tC/ha Land cover: grassland Net Primary Productivity: 10,3 tDM/ha/yr Soil Organic Carbon: 47,6 tC/ha Land cover: grassland Net Primary Productivity: 11,9 tDM/ha/yr Soil Organic Carbon: 54,6 tC/ha Grazing period extended Exclusion maintained Long grazing period continued Sustainable grazing managemen t introduced Urban expansion Reference level (in 2015) Landscape Decision

= Land cover: grassland (grassland)

Net Primary Productivity: 7,1 tDM/ha/yr (11,7)

= Soil Organic Carbon: 54,1 tC/ha (54,4) = Land cover: grassland (grassland) = Net Primary Productivity: 13,1 tDM/ha/yr (12,8) = Soil Organic Carbon: 63,8 tC/ha (63,3) = Land cover: grassland (grassland)

Net Primary Productivity: 3,9 tDM/ha/yr (6,5) Soil Organic Carbon: 40,7 tC/ha (51,1)

= Land cover: grassland (grassland) = Net Primary Productivity: 10,8 tDM/ha/yr (10,3)

Soil Organic Carbon: 51,2 tC/ha (47,6) Land cover: urban (grassland) Net Primary Productivity: 7,1 tDM/ha/yr (11,9)

= Soil Organic Carbon: 54,3 tC/ha (54,6)

2020-2025 (2015) Landscape Grazing period extended Exclusion maintained Long grazing period continued Sustainable grazing management introduced Urban expansion Decision

= Land cover: grassland (grassland)

Net Primary Productivity: 7,1 tDM/ha/yr (11,7)

= Soil Organic Carbon: 54,1 tC/ha (54,4) = Land cover: grassland (grassland) = Net Primary Productivity: 13,1 tDM/ha/yr (12,8) = Soil Organic Carbon: 63,8 tC/ha (63,3) = Land cover: grassland (grassland)

Net Primary Productivity: 3,9 tDM/ha/yr (6,5) Soil Organic Carbon: 40,7 tC/ha (51,1)

= Land cover: grassland (grassland) = Net Primary Productivity: 10,8 tDM/ha/yr (10,3)

Soil Organic Carbon: 51,2 tC/ha (47,6) Land cover: urban (grassland) Net Primary Productivity: 7,1 tDM/ha/yr (11,9)

= Soil Organic Carbon: 54,3 tC/ha (54,6)

2020-2025 (2015) Landscape Loss: 15.000 ha significant degradation No change in LDN Status: 25.000 ha stable Loss: 10.000 ha significant degradation Gain: 40.000 ha significant improvement Loss: 10.000 ha significant degradation Gain or Loss?

Landscape

Land Degradation Neutrality Status: Net Gain, 5.000 ha

Loss: 15.000 ha significant degradation No change in LDN Status: 25.000 ha stable Loss: 10.000 ha significant degradation Gain: 40.000 ha significant improvement Loss: 10.000 ha significant degradation Gain or Loss?

Land governance

Chapter 6.7 of conceptual framework for Land Degradation Neutrality speaks of Land Governance. The basis for responsible governance towards achieving LDN are: CFS Voluntary Guidelines for the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the context of national food security (VGGTs)

What is responsible governance according to CFS?

Makes access to land, fisheries and forests more equitable Protects people from the arbitrary loss of their tenure rights, including through forced evictions Helps ensure no one is subject to discrimination under laws, policies and practices Leads to more transparent and participatory decision- making Helps ensure that all people are treated equally when laws are enforced Helps ensure disputes are resolved before they degenerate into conflict simplifies the administration of tenure and makes it more accessible and effective to all

Part 1: Preliminary Sets the direction

• Objectives
• Nature and Scope

Part 2: General Matters Provides overall guidance

• Guiding principles (general and for

implementation)

• Tenure rights
• Policy, legal and organisational

frameworks

• Delivery of services

Part 3: Legal recognition and allocation of tenure rights addresses the legal recognition of customary and/or informal tenure rights of indigenous peoples and other communities

• Safeguards
• Public land
• Indigenous people and local communities with

customary tenure systems

• Informal tenure

Part 4: General Matters addresses the transfer or reallocation of existing rights and the associated duties

• Markets
• Investments
• Land consolidation
• Restitution
• Redistributive reforms
• Expropriation and compensation

Part 5: Administration of tenure addresses the administration

• Records of tenure rights
• Valuation
• Taxation
• Regulated spatial planning
• Resolution of disputes
• Transboundary matters

Part 6: Responses to climate change addresses the governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests in the context of climate change, natural disasters and conflicts.

• Climate change
• Natural disasters
• Conflicts over tenure

Part 7: Promotion, implementation and evaluation encourages collaborative approaches for the promotion, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Guidelines.

Implications of VGGTs and LDN

Although the Conceptual framework has not integrated the Voluntary Guidelines for the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGTs) for LDN, it recognises the VGGTs as base for governance of LDN: This is a big CHANCE to tackle CSO concerns for land grab & lack of local communities’ participation with LDN and LDNF!

Policy makers dealing with LDN should:

Recognise all forms of tenure (public, private, communal, collective, indigenous and customary)

• > when LDN projects are considered in grazing lands,

user rights of nomadic people and pastoralists should be recognised Guarantee free, prior and informed consent under the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples & meaningful participation of local communities in consultation and decision making processes

• > local people should be involved when an area of land

is designated in land use planning as LDN area and/or when an area of degraded land is considered for land restoration, rehabilitation and/or reclamation

Policy makers dealing with LDN should:

Ensure that investments do no harm, safeguard against dispossession of legitimate tenure right holders and environmental damage, and should respect human rights

• > this includes investments from the LDN fund, or
• ther public and private funds

Provide safeguards to protect legitimate tenure rights, human rights, livelihoods, food security and the environment from risks that could arise from large-scale transactions in tenure rights

• > including land transactions (co-)funded from the

LDN fund, or other public and private funds

What is next?

Conceptual framework on LDN will be published soon It will probably be taken up in the SDG discussions

• n measuring SDG 15.3

LDN Fund is finalising its safeguards, there will be public consultation on the safeguards the coming weeks (they probably want to finalised it before Marrakesh and present it during UNFCCC-COP22) Suggestion for CSOs: keep the VGGTs in hand, and make sure that they are not lost in the local, national and international LDN discussions, including the discussions on the LDN Fund