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The Political Ecology of Land Degradation

Andersson, Elina LU ; Brogaard, Sara LU and Olsson, Lennart LU (2011) In Annual Review of Environment and Resources 36. p.295-319
Abstract
Land degradation, as a threat to smallholders in the tropics, attracts less attention than other global challenges. In addition, gaps between scientific understandings of land degradation and international policy regimes are problematic. We identify the three most significant debates including their different policy implications: desertification in the Sahel, nutrient depletion in Africa, and rural reforms in China. Using a political ecology frame across disciplines, scales of inquiry, and regional experiences, we nuance the often polarized scientific debate while seeking to bridge the gap between science and policy. Three main findings emerge: State-led rural reforms in China represent an important approach to land degradation; a renewed... (More)
Land degradation, as a threat to smallholders in the tropics, attracts less attention than other global challenges. In addition, gaps between scientific understandings of land degradation and international policy regimes are problematic. We identify the three most significant debates including their different policy implications: desertification in the Sahel, nutrient depletion in Africa, and rural reforms in China. Using a political ecology frame across disciplines, scales of inquiry, and regional experiences, we nuance the often polarized scientific debate while seeking to bridge the gap between science and policy. Three main findings emerge: State-led rural reforms in China represent an important approach to land degradation; a renewed focus on agriculture and sustainability in development discourses opens new ways for tackling nutrient depletion with combined sociotechnological reforms; and a policy void in Africa paves the way for market mechanisms, such as payment for environmental services, that are insufficiently understood and put fairness at risk. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
China, Africa, desertification, nutrient depletion, policy
in
Annual Review of Environment and Resources
volume
36
pages
25 pages
publisher
Annual Reviews
external identifiers
  • wos:000299610900012
  • scopus:80155174966
ISSN
1545-2050
DOI
10.1146/annurev-environ-033110-092827
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1249a21a-b7de-46df-a400-d480ff7cf06b (old id 2494121)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:25:46
date last changed
2022-02-10 02:00:17
@article{1249a21a-b7de-46df-a400-d480ff7cf06b,
  abstract     = {{Land degradation, as a threat to smallholders in the tropics, attracts less attention than other global challenges. In addition, gaps between scientific understandings of land degradation and international policy regimes are problematic. We identify the three most significant debates including their different policy implications: desertification in the Sahel, nutrient depletion in Africa, and rural reforms in China. Using a political ecology frame across disciplines, scales of inquiry, and regional experiences, we nuance the often polarized scientific debate while seeking to bridge the gap between science and policy. Three main findings emerge: State-led rural reforms in China represent an important approach to land degradation; a renewed focus on agriculture and sustainability in development discourses opens new ways for tackling nutrient depletion with combined sociotechnological reforms; and a policy void in Africa paves the way for market mechanisms, such as payment for environmental services, that are insufficiently understood and put fairness at risk.}},
  author       = {{Andersson, Elina and Brogaard, Sara and Olsson, Lennart}},
  issn         = {{1545-2050}},
  keywords     = {{China; Africa; desertification; nutrient depletion; policy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{295--319}},
  publisher    = {{Annual Reviews}},
  series       = {{Annual Review of Environment and Resources}},
  title        = {{The Political Ecology of Land Degradation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-033110-092827}},
  doi          = {{10.1146/annurev-environ-033110-092827}},
  volume       = {{36}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}