Stakeholders gear up to combat land degradation |13 March 2017
Stakeholders have been introduced to a programme aimed at avoiding degradation, moving towards sustainable land management and at the same time scaling up the rehabilitation of degraded land and soil.
This took place during a one-day workshop on Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) target setting organised by the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change in collaboration with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD.
The workshop, held last week at the Savoy Resort & Hotel conference hall at Beau Vallon, was aimed at introducing key stakeholders such as hotel and tourism operators, farmers association, environment conservation NGOs, regional and international funding partners to the LDN programme.
It was also to establish the LDN national working group and mobilise senior government and major international partners.
The workshop was attended by Sven Walter, representative of the UNCCD Global Mechanism; the programme’s chosen consultant for Seychelles Arvhind Dookhun; UNCCD local coordinator, Roland Alcindor; Marie-May Jeremie-Muzungaile, director general of the Biodiversity Conservation Management section of the Ministry of Environment; other staff members from the environment department and stakeholders’ representatives.
In September 2015, 17 global goals for sustainable development (the SDGs) were adopted by world leaders, meeting at the United Nations in New York. These bold, transformative and universal goals are our roadmap for the next 15 years. NCCD Parties are working together to achieve target 15.3 on land degradation neutrality (LDN), which is “Life on Land”.
Around 12 million hectares of land each year are being lost. There is a need to stop this critical loss and turn this trend around.
Land degradation neutrality is a simple but revolutionary idea that can connect the dots between most global goals and targets. It is a commitment to avoid degradation, to move towards sustainable land management and at the same time to massively scale up the rehabilitation of degraded land and soil. It may redefine our relationship with the nature. It is the simplest response to climate change action, food, energy and water security, forced migration and resource-driven conflict. By safeguarding life on land, we deliver for all, life on Earth. By 2030, it is envisioned a world where human stops the loss of this vital asset and move into positive territory. And by reaching LDN, a basis for communities is established – all citizens - everywhere - to not just survive but to thrive by building a future on a healthy and productive foundation.
In reference to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which was adopted by the international community in 2015 embodies the bold and global ambition to shift the world to a more sustainable and a more resilient projector with the target of achieving a LDN world as a centerpiece of this agenda captured in the SDGs target 15.3.
In his introductory remarks, Mr Walter said so far 105 countries have committed to translate this global LDN target into country specifics LDN targets and actions. Actions, he said, that generate multiple benefits from achieving access from climate change mitigation and adaptation to avoid hunger and from ensuring access to clean water to creating decent works and green jobs.
Mr Walter explained this process provides a major opportunity for countries to increase coherence, scale and resource mobilisation to promote a sustainable management of their land resources, by using LDN as a means to foster coherence of national policies.
“Together with our partners we are committed to supporting countries in identifying and tapping into these opportunities,” he said and commended the Seychelles for its commitment for setting up LDN targets.
Mrs Muzungaile said even if the occurrence of land degradation in Seychelles can be rated as void, the country is however faced with threats like loss of biodiversity, forest fires, climate change and erosion, which eventually all lead to land degradation.
And that the Seychelles government through the last two decades are very aware of the threats of the land degradation and 1997 ratified the UNCCD and ever since the country has been an active participant.
“The LDN programme being introduced today is an important process because it will allow us to take a closer look at our policy and legislative frameworks. It will prompt us to really focus on the potential impacts that our current activities are having on the general integrity of our soils, our coastlines and also help us to set in place targets to better manage and improve our land resources through target settings for 2030,” she said.
She added that it also aims to harmonise policies across sectors like agriculture, climate change adaptation and others.
