1 1

WAD

Michael Cherlet Stefan Sommer Wolfgang Mehl Michele Conti

Eva Ivits Kathleen Corkery

Compilation of new World Atlas of Desertification Contributing to a global assessment

2 2

WAD

Compilation of new World Atlas of Desertification Contributing to a global assessment

• WAD initiative

• WAD concept

• WAD content

• WAD global mapping

3

4 4

• foundation to address the global challenges related to desertification and land degradation

• global reference and contribution to the target of zero net land degradation

• crucial aspect in the discussion on food security, poverty-reduction, resource efficiency, land-market issues

Coordinated by JRC In collaboration with UNEP, FAO and an extensive global network of experts

WAD

5 5

Background: GlobCover 2005

International Network collaborating on WAD

Support to national reporting to UNCCD JRC as UNCCD Reporting Reference Centre

6

• Objectives of the Atlas:

• Illustrate the occurrence of the problems of LDD on different levels of interest and indicate hot spots worldwide; illustrate that LDD is a local phenomenon but with global dimension

• Provide information on progress of the ‘fight’ against LDD and promote SLM

• Establishing a global baseline inventory on the status and trends of human induced LDD and on the various contributing factors/processes (expressed through ‘issues’), including policy, governance, economic and social aspects

• Provide contribution to the ‘indicator discussion’ of UNCCD and stakeholders: WAD3 strives to illustrate possibilities of what and how to integrate for assessment

• Foundation to achieve RIO+20 target and Promote synergies between RIO Conventions

• Reflecting recent scientific advancements in the fields of thematic understanding and conceptual frameworks for integrated assessments, not necessarily mirroring UNCCD wishes

7

[ Definition framework (DSD WG1)

a) Desertification is best to be treated as an extreme case of land degradation, which is expressed in a persistent reduction or loss of biological and economic productivity of lands that are under use by people whose livelihoods depend on this productivity, yet the reduction or loss of this productivity is driven by that use. (b) Combating desertification means addressing all stages of land degradation that precede the level of productivity loss specific to desertification, the one that reclamation, rather than rehabilitation measures are required for restoring the persistently lost productivity of the land. (c) Land degradation and desertification, as described in (a) and (b), require attention in all lands, with special concern directed to all drylands, namely those of climate yielding an aridity index ≤ 0.65, whether based on 1950-1980 prevailing climate, and/or on more recent climate data. Land = terrestrial bio-productive system [delivering ES] that comprises abiotic structure elements (soil, rainfall,…) and biotic elements (all biodiversity - soil biota, vegetation)[Es structure] and all interactions, ecological, hydrological processes, that operate within the system [Es funtions] ]

8

Pressure on Biophysical Condition Pre

ss

ure

on

So

cio

-ec

on

om

ic C

on

dit

ion

Sustainable region

Degraded region

Socio-economic threshold (St)

Biophysical threshold (Bt)

(1) Ecological and social issues are fundamentally interwoven.

(2) Slowly evolving conditions are critical (chronic problems under continual change).

(3) Nonlinear processes and feedbacks are at stake.

(4) Cross-scale interactions exist.

(5) Local environmental knowledge is important

Reynolds et al. (2007), Science, vol. 316

Processes & feedback loops to be understood through different conceptual approaches:

Stafford Smith & Reynolds (2002)

Dryland Development Paradigm

Proximate and indirect causes

Syndromes

Ecosystem Stewardship

(ES trade-offs)

Concept – boundary framework

9

The assessment concept

• There are a limited number of issues that either alone or in

combination drive land degradation; issues provide a global level linkage of land degradation (Geist and Lambin, 2005-2006)

• Land use represents the exploitation of the ecosystem and

defines the services that the ecosystem should provide; it interfaces with the local character of land degradation

• Need to assess the status and change of the resource base • Integration of issue specific biophysical and socio-economical

variables/indicators based on adapted stratification(s) to assess relevant impact / productivity reduction (>trade-off)

10

Land Management and Natural Hazards Unit ----- DESERT Action ----- Visit DG ENV – 22/11/11 10

Increased Aridity – Drought Frequency

Loss of Vegetation Cover and NPP

Decrease Water Availability - Water

Soil slipping away

Population Pressure Population

Movement and Migration

Grazing Forest

Fragmentation Deforestation

Cropping and Changing Cultivated

Use Land Pollution

Desertification Issues >

Pastoralism Agriculture Forestry Urban, tourism,

…..

rainfed

Irrigation

Agro-past.

No use

extensive

Intensive.

No use

extensive

Intensive.

+

Land Use System > with Bio-Climatic information

Key Variables & Indicators

Key Variables & Indicators

Key Variables & Indicators

++-=- ++-=- ++-=-

Syndrome type integration PER STRATUM

Ancillary Indicator selection Database

Global Variables measurable/available variables > @ various scales

Supporting

Regulating

Provisioning

Cultural Eco

syst

em

Se

rvic

es

Global Land Degradation Assessment

Qualitative / Quantitative Assessment

11

Authors and Affiliations .................................................................................................. 1

Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ 1

Contents ........................................................................................................................ 1

Foreword, Preface and Preamble ................................................................................... 1

I. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1

What is WAD? ................................................................................................................ 1

Scope of this WAD ......................................................................................................... 1

History of WAD ............................................................................................................. 2

UNCCD and the Decade of Desertification (UNDDD) ..................................................... 2

Recommended audience, how to use this WAD ............................................................. 2

II. Desertification and land degradation: Evolving Concepts, Science and Practice . ................................................................................................................................... 3

What is desertification, what is land degradation ............................................................ 3

How science and development contributed .................................................................... 3

Desertification and Land Degradation Issues ................................................................. 3

III. Issues: Local Dynamics Causing Desertification and Land Degradation ............ 7

(1) The Natural Environment: constraints and opportunities ....................................... 8

a. Increased Aridity and Variable Drought Frequency ................................................. 8

b. Potential Loss of Vegetation Cover and Primary Production ................................. 11

c. Decrease in Water Availability and Excess of Water ............................................. 13

d. The Soil Slipping Away ......................................................................................... 15

(2) The Human Environment .................................................................................... 17

a. Earth’s Growing Human Population - Changing Population Densities ................... 17

b. Human Movements and Migrations ....................................................................... 19

(3) How good is the land used: a question of sustainability ..................................... 21

a. Grazing ................................................................................................................. 23

b. Forest Fragmentation and Deforestation ............................................................... 25

c. Cropping and Changing Cultivated Use ................................................................ 27

d. Pollution ................................................................................................................ 29

IV. Global Mapping of Local Storylines of Desertification and Land Degradation .. 31

a. Integration of Issues at Global Scales ................................................................... 31

b. Case Studies ........................................................................................................ 32

WAD TOC

12 12

WAD

WAD structure based on concept

Wad ISSUE chapters:

Basic facts Messages

“story line” written with Maps and examples how it can be integrated for multi-scale assessments

Planned for first half 2013 Paper and Digital portal (http://wad.jrc.ec.europa.eu/)

13

14 14

WAD illustrates adapted assessment and mapping concept how this can be applied at various scales WAD contains considerations on SLM options, economic aspects

WAD

Participation in ELD and OSLO

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

Variability of Vegetative Growing Season Length Based on Growing Season Length as calculated from GIMMS NDVI ‘81-’06

23 ………

24

C

Variable selection Using Classification

Tree Analysis

Status: Loss of Productivity

Capacity Local Scaling approach

change/time Steadiness

Index

Change: Loss of Productivity

Capacity Steadiness

D

Vegetation Index

Time Series Phenological,Productivity

Variables

B

ISSUE driven Land Use System/Bioclimatic zones

to consider for e.g. agriculture intensification

A

Land Degradation Assessment

(flags)

E

A

B

E C D

Syndrome based Analysis Continental and finer scale

e Climate Variability

Disturbances: drought & fire

25

PHENOLO methodology and software

Productivity parameters:

MI=a+b+c+d+e+f+g (Minimum-Minimum Integral)

MPI=a+b+c (Minimum Permanent Integral)

SI=b+e+g (Seasonal Integral)

SRI=e+g (Season Residual Integral)

SPI=e+b (Season Permanent Integral)

SER=d+f (Season Exceeding Residual Integral)

SER2=d+f+a+c (Season Exceeding Total

Residual Integral)

CF=g (Cyclic fraction)

PF=d+e+f (Permanent Fraction)

NPP=d+e+f+g (Net Primary Productivity)

0

50

100

150

200

250

2003 2004 2005

0

50

100

150

200

250

2003 2004 2005

Time

a b c

d e f

g

SEV

SL

MAX

NDVI

SBD

SBV

MBD

MBV MEV

ML

MXD

MXV

Phenological parameters:

SBD = Season Begin Day

SBV = Season Begin Value

SED = Season End Day

SEV = Season End Value

SL = Season Length

MBD = Minimum Begin Day

MBV = Minimum Begin Value

MED = Minumim End Day

MEV = Minimum End Value

ML = Minimum Length

MXV = Maximum Value

MXD = Maximum Day

SED MED

Productivity parameters:

MI=a+b+c+d+e+f+g (Minimum-Minimum Integral)

MPI=a+b+c (Minimum Permanent Integral)

SI=b+e+g (Seasonal Integral)

SRI=e+g (Season Residual Integral)

SPI=e+b (Season Permanent Integral)

SER=d+f (Season Exceeding Residual Integral)

SER2=d+f+a+c (Season Exceeding Total

Residual Integral)

CF=g (Cyclic fraction)

PF=d+e+f (Permanent Fraction)

NPP=d+e+f+g (Net Primary Productivity)

0

50

100

150

200

250

2003 2004 2005

0

50

100

150

200

250

2003 2004 2005

Time

a b c

d e f

g

SEV

SL

MAX

NDVI

SBD

SBV

MBD

MBV MEV

ML

MXD

MXV

Phenological parameters:

SBD = Season Begin Day

SBV = Season Begin Value

SED = Season End Day

SEV = Season End Value

SL = Season Length

MBD = Minimum Begin Day

MBV = Minimum Begin Value

MED = Minumim End Day

MEV = Minimum End Value

ML = Minimum Length

MXV = Maximum Value

MXD = Maximum Day

SED MED

26

Start of season change

Length of season change

NPPchange

Start of season change

Ratio CF/PF change

Steadiness Index to evaluate change and fluctuation of productivity and

phenology

Assessment of state: local scaling of variables combined through strata

Prof. S. Prince, 2011

Land degradation assessment (flags)

27 27

LADA Senegal degradation map

Ratio of Permanent Fraction / Cyclic Fraction combined in “capacity classes” or “conversion dynamics”

Land degradation in the Darfur Area, Sudan

28

• Implementation plan • Implementation Network • Formal Kick-off Meeting • Thematic Drafting Teams • Data Collection, System Framework

• Processing Global Data • Regional Mapping • Local Case Studies • Text and Illustrations • Advanced Draft

• Advanced Draft • Finalization • Printing • On-line Launch

• First Expert Meeting held • Concept and Roadmap drafted

WORLD ATLAS

OF

DESERTIFICATION

Photo: UNEP

29

WAD PORTAL

http://wad.jrc.ec.europa.eu

Utilities – upload Usr id: dni passw: dni

30 30

Thank you!

Photos: various internet sources