Töpfer / Müller / Beckh Soils in the Nexus

A crucial resource for water, energy and food security
1. Auflage 2014
ISBN: 978-3-86581-558-3
Verlag: oekom
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, 164 Seiten

Soils are crucial if we are to ensure water, energy and food security for nine billion people by 2050. Soils sustain biodiversity and - if managed wisely - contribute to the mitigation of climate change. At the same time, they are a non-renewable resource within human timeframes. Nevertheless, we continuously transform this resource in unsustainable ways. This manifests itself in the loss of approximately 24 billion tonnes of fertile soil each year due to erosion. Insecurity or loss of land rights among local populations is a further expression of often unsustainable development pathways. To overcome these challenges, we need to consider soils in an integrated and holistic manner: in the nexus. This book presents transdisciplinary perspectives and potential responses to soil-related challenges to sustainable development. In view of the International Year of Soils 2015, it provides insights into promising pathways towards the sustainable governance of soil and land.

Jes Weigelt coordinates the Global Soil Forum at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), focusing on transformations towards the sustainable management of global land and soil resources through multi-stakeholder processes. Alexander Müller is a Senior Fellow at the IASS. He was Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and State Secretary in the German Ministry for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture. Charlotte Beckh is a Research Associate at the Global Soil Forum of the IASS and works on responsible land and soil governance and transdisciplinary exchange processes such as the Global Soil Week. Klaus Töpfer is Executive Director of the IASS. He was Federal Minister for the Environment and of Regional Planning and Urban Development. Until 2006 he was Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Müller, Alexander

Beckh, Charlotte

Weigelt, Jes

Töpfer, Klaus

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;SOILS IN THE NEXUS;1
2;Contents;7
3;Preface;9
3.1;References;12
4;Soil Biodiversity, Functions, Ecosystem Services and the International Sustainable Development Agenda;13
4.1;Abstract;13
4.2;1 Overview;13
4.3;2 Soil Biodiversity, Functions, and Ecosystem Services;14
4.4;3 Anthropogenic Drivers of Degradation of Soil Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services;17
4.5;4 Reversing Degradation: Restoring Ecosystem Services and Achieving Sustained Increases in Agricultural Productivity, Reducing Off-Farm Impacts and Responding to Climate Change;19
4.6;5 The Relevance of Soil Ecosystem Services to the International Policy Landscape and the Sustainable Development Agenda;21
4.6.1;5.1 Key Forums;21
4.6.2;5.2 Emerging Broader Consensus on Key Natural Resource Issues and the Role of Soil Ecosystem Services as a Solution;25
4.7;6 Key Areas for Attention at Global Soil Week;27
4.8;References;28
4.9;Keywords;31
5;World Soils and the Carbon Cycle in Relation to Climate Change and Food Security;33
5.1;Abstract;33
5.2;1 Introduction;33
5.3;2 World Soils and the Global Carbon Cycle;35
5.4;3 Climate Change and Global Food Security;37
5.5;4 Soil Organic Carbon and Soil Quality;40
5.6;5 Soil Organic Carbon and Climate Change;43
5.7;6 Converting Soils of Agroecosystems from Carbon Source to Sink;45
5.7.1;6.1 Creating a Positive Soil Carbon Budget;45
5.7.2;6.2 Stabilization of Soil Carbon Pool and Increasing the Mean Residence Time;46
5.8;7 Soil Carbon Measurement;48
5.9;8 The Soil Carbon Dilemma;49
5.10;9 Soil Governance for Enhancing Ecosystem Services;53
5.11;10 Towards Achieving Carbon Neutral Management of Agroecosystems;55
5.12;11 Are Soil Carbon Sinks a Solution to Global Warming?;56
5.13;12 Conclusion: Mitigating Global Warming and Achieving Food Security by Sustainable Soil Management and Improving Agriculture;58
5.14;References;60
5.15;Keywords;68
6;Global Land and Soil Degradation: Challenges to Soil;69
6.1;Abstract;69
6.2;1 Introduction;69
6.3;2 Structures and Processes Framing Land and Soil Degradation;71
6.3.1;2.1 Water and Wind Erosion;72
6.3.2;2.2 Chemical Degradation;73
6.3.3;2.3 Physical Degradation;75
6.3.4;2.4 Synthesis of Land and Soil Degradation Drivers;76
6.4;3 Challenges in Monitoring, Measuring and Assessing the Status and Trends of Degradation;76
6.5;4 Developing the Legacy of a Degradation Neutral World to Future Genera-tions: Moving Towards Land and Soil Sustainability during Global Soil Week;78
6.6;5 Conclusions and Discussion Points;80
6.7;References;81
6.8;Keywords;85
7;The Soil and Water Nexus for Sustainable Livelihoods: A Need for Effective ›Framing‹;87
7.1;Abstract;87
7.2;1 Introduction;88
7.3;2 Terminology;90
7.4;3 Reconnecting the Wide Range of Soil Expertise;92
7.5;4 Implications of Considering Soils to be a Part of Ecosystems;93
7.6;5 Hydropedology: An Urgent Need to Move »Out-of-the-Box«;95
7.7;6 How to Better Engage Stakeholders and Politicians;96
7.8;7 Possible Implications for Soil Related Activities and for Research and Education;98
7.9;8 Implications for Research Itself;99
7.10;9 Conclusion: The Need for Convincing Examples in the Real World;100
7.11;10 Three Recommendations;101
7.12;References;101
7.13;Keywords;103
8;The Economics of Land Degradation;105
8.1;Abstract;105
8.2;1 Introduction;105
8.3;2 The Increasing Value of Land;110
8.4;3 Assessment of Land Degradation;112
8.5;4 Conceptual Framework of ELD Assessment;117
8.6;5 Preliminary Research Findings;119
8.7;6 Policy and Research Perspectives;122
8.8;References;123
8.9;Keywords;126
9;Resource Efficiency to Diminish Land and Soil Degradation;129
9.1;Abstract;129
9.2;1 Introduction;129
9.3;2 Interlinkages, Significance and Risks of Using Land and Preserving Soils;130
9.3.1;2.1 Land;130
9.3.2;2.2 Soil;130
9.4;3 Degradation in Europe and Worldwide;131
9.4.1;3.1 … globally …;131
9.4.2;3.2 … and in the EU;131
9.5;4 Specific Barriers to Resource Efficiency of Land and Soils;137
9.5.1;4.1 Land;137
9.5.2;4.2 Soil;137
9.6;5 Strategy of the European Commission to Improve Resource Efficiency;138
9.7;References;138
9.8;Keywords;140
10;Pathways towards Sustainable Soil and Land Governance: Discussing the Contribution of the Global Soil Week1;141
10.1;Abstract;141
10.2;1 Introduction;142
10.3;2 Challenges of Soil and Land Governance in the Nexus;143
10.3.1;2.1 Understanding and Managing the Trade-offs in Soil Ecosystem Services;143
10.3.2;2.2 Distribution of Soil Ecosystem Services and Access to Land;145
10.3.3;2.3 Coproduction of Knowledge and Cross-sectoral Responses;147
10.4;3 Sustainable Soil and Land Governance: From Attributes to Process;148
10.4.1;3.1 Analytical and Normative Paradigms of Sustainability Governance;148
10.4.2;3.2 Governance of Sustainability Pathways;151
10.5;4 A Discussion of the Global Soil Week;152
10.6;5 Conclusions;157
10.7;References;158
10.8;Keywords;162

Über Autor(innen)

Jes Weigelt coordinates the Global Soil Forum at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), focusing on transformations towards the sustainable management of global land and soil resources through multi-stakeholder processes.

Alexander Müller is a Senior Fellow at the IASS. He was Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and State Secretary in the German Ministry for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture.

Charlotte Beckh is a Research Associate at the Global Soil Forum of the IASS and works on responsible land and soil governance and transdisciplinary exchange processes such as the Global Soil Week.

Klaus Töpfer is Executive Director of the IASS. He was Federal Minister for the Environment and of Regional Planning and Urban Development. Until 2006 he was Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi.