The talk with present the key results of the IPCC Working Group III 5th assessment report. Concluding four years of intense scientific collaboration by hundreds of authors from around the world, the report responds to the request of the world's governments for a comprehensive, objective and policy neutral assessment of the current scientific knowledge on mitigating climate change. The report has been extensively reviewed by experts and governments to ensure quality and comprehensiveness.

Climate change 2014 - Mitigation of climate change

In the effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to food, health, water, and climate, an increase in pressure on land is highly likely. To avoid further land degradation and promote land restoration, multifunctional use of land is needed within the boundaries of the soil-water system. In addition, awareness-raising, a change in stakeholders’ attitudes, and a change in economics are essential. The attainment of a balance between the economy, society, and the biosphere calls for a holistic approach. In this paper, we introduce four concepts that we consider to be conducive to realizing LDN in a more integrated way: systems thinking, connectivity, nature-based solutions, and regenerative economics. We illustrate the application of these concepts through three examples in agricultural settings. Systems thinking lies at the base of the three others, stressing feedback loops but also delayed responses. Their simultaneous use will result in more robust solutions, which are sustainable from an environmental, societal, and economic point of view. Solutions also need to take into account the level of scale (global, national, regional, local), stakeholders’ interests and culture, and the availability and boundaries of financial and natural capital. Furthermore, sustainable solutions need to embed short-term management in long-term landscape planning. In conclusion, paradigm shifts are needed. First, it is necessary to move from excessive exploitation in combination with environmental protection, to sustainable use and management of the soil-water system. To accomplish this, new business models in robust economic systems are needed based on environmental systems thinking; an approach that integrates environmental, social, and economic interests. Second, it is necessary to shift from a “system follows function” approach towards a “function follows system” one. Only by making the transition towards integrated solutions based on a socio-economical-ecological systems analysis, using concepts such as nature-based solutions, do we stand a chance to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality by 2030. To make these paradigm shifts, awareness-raising in relation to a different type of governance, economy and landscape and land-use planning and management is needed.

Soil-related sustainable development goals: Four concepts to make land degradation neutrality and restoration work

Soil health is the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals and humans, and connects agricultural and soil science to policy, stakeholder needs and sustainable supply-chain management. Historically, soil assessments focused on crop production, but, today, soil health also includes the role of soil in water quality, climate change and human health. However, quantifying soil health is still dominated by chemical indicators, despite growing appreciation of the importance of soil biodiversity, owing to limited functional knowledge and lack of effective methods. In this Perspective, the definition and history of soil health are described and compared with other soil concepts. We outline ecosystem services provided by soils, the indicators used to measure soil functionality and their integration into informative soil-health indices. Scientists should embrace soil health as an overarching principle that contributes to sustainability goals, rather than only a property to measure. Soil health is essential to crop production but is also key to many ecosystem services. In this Perspective, the definition, impact and quantification of soil health are examined, and the needs in soil-health research are outlined.

The concept and future prospects of soil health.

United Nations environment Programme (NL)

Soil and Water : Physical Principles and Processes  By Daniel Hillel (Physiological Ecology: a Series of Monographs and Treatises) Pp xiv + 288 (Academic: New York and London, January 1971) $14; £655

Soil and Water

Soil ecosystem services, sustainability, valuation and management

The sustainability of agroecosystems is closely related to successful soil conservation. Sustainable land use practices are crucial to reduce the impacts of agriculture on land degradation and maintain long-term soil productivity. In this context, is important to avoid practices that deteriorate the soil (e.g. soil erosion), and find the most suitable to maintain soil and crops productivity. The objective of this work is to compare the impact of different tillage systems on soil compaction, erosion and crop production on clay loam Stagnosols in Croatia. Three tillage treatments were studied: conventional tillage (CT), no-tillage (NT) and deep tillage (DT). Soil water content, bulk density and penetration resistance were determined in the 0–10, 10–20, 20–30 and 30–40 cm soil depths. Soil erosion was measured during rainfall events. The results showed that tillage treatments influenced the soil physical parameters, soil loss and crop yields. During first four years of study NT increased (p

Igor Bogunović

Papers

Soil ecosystem services, sustainability, valuation and management

Tillage management impacts on soil compaction, erosion and crop yield in Stagnosols (Croatia)

Post-fire soil management

Spatial distribution of soil chemical properties in an organic farm in Croatia

Russian-Ukrainian war impacts the total environment.