Assessing Global Land Use
Author | : Stefan Bringezu |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : 132 |
Release | : 2014 |
Genre | : BUSINESS & ECONOMICS |
ISBN | : 9789210572873 |
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Global land use plays a central role in determining our food, material and energy supply. Many countries have started to support the use of biomass for biofuels and biomaterials, and, at the same time, are becoming concerned about the increasing consequences of land competition, such as rising food prices, land use change, and land use intensification. Cropland expansion at the cost of tropical forests and savannahs induces severe changes in the living environment with uncertain repercussions. A central question is, thus, to what extent can global cropland expand to serve the growing demand for food and non-food biomass, while keeping the consequences of land use change, such as losses of biodiversity, at a tolerable level? This report explores how the management of land-based biomass production and consumption can be developed towards a higher degree of sustainability across different scales: from the sustainable management of soils on the field to the sustainable management of global land use as a whole. Specifically, this report looks at the impacts of global trends--population growth, urbanization, and changes in diets and consumption behaviors--on global land use dynamics, considering the consequences for biodiversity, the supply of food, fibers and fuel, and the long-lasting implications for resource security. It is intended to support the international discussion and to provide decision makers in national and regional governments and NGOs with an overview of key challenges and possible options related to sustainable land use.