Monitoring and assessment of land for to climate change mitigation and adaptation

UNFCCC COP 22 - Marrakech, Italian pavillon- zona blu

Land degradation has direct and indirect impacts on climate change, biodiversity, as well as on living conditions of populations, also in terms of security and migrations. Prevention and recovery of such phenomena, based on conservation actions and development of agricultural, forestry and pastoral activities, are therefore central not only to UNCCD objectives, but also to the UNFCCC in terms of mitigation and adaptation. Climate change impacts on rural areas and land degradation in Italy will be addressed in synergy to reach the Land Degradation Neutrality Target (15.3) in the framework of Agenda 2030. Local peculiarities in a national perspective are crucial in a target setting approach.

To this purpose, the implementation of a national monitoring system is essential to design these targets in a scientifically sound basis, and, at the same time, to test the effectiveness of efforts taken in terms of avoiding land degradation, as well as of contributing to the mitigation of greenhouse gases emissions and enhancing land resilience.

Italy took part in the pilot phase of the LDN project, implemented in the framework of the Land Degradation Neutrality Target Setting programme, promoted by the UNCCD and carried out by the Global Mechanism. Lessons learned during this experience can be considered as a roadmap for a progressive achievement of Land Degradation Neutrality, in the perspective of sharing our approach, methodologies and results.

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