Application of Indicator Systems for Monitoring and Assessment of Desertification from National to Global Scales

Current initiatives of the UNCCD on defining minimum sets of indicators for monitoring and impact assessment of the implementation of the Convention have acknowledged that an important missing element in this process is an approved methodology of defining affected areas, emphasizing the importance of a more uniform identification methodology. Rather than discussing fixed indicator sets, this paper suggests how the UNCCD community progressively can make use of a flexible framework of analytical approaches that have been recently developed by scientific research, allowing a standardized but flexible use of indicator sets adapted to specific objectives or desertification issues relevant for implementing the Convention. Science has made progress in understanding major issues and proximate causes of dryland degradation such that indicator sets can be accordingly selected from the wealth of existing and documented indicator systems. The selection and combination should be guided according to transparent criteria given by existing indicator frameworks adapted to desertification conceptual frameworks such as the Dryland Development Paradigm (DDP). The concept of desertification issues suggested by recent research could be a pragmatic entry level for selecting area- and theme-specific sets of indicators from existing databases. Working on different dryland sub-types through a meaningful stratification is proposed to delimit and characterize affected areas beyond national levels. Such stratification could be achieved by combining existing Land Use information with additional biophysical and socio-economic data sets. This would allow indicator based monitoring and assessment in a framework of specific dryland degradation issues and their impact on key ecosystem services.

SOMMER Stefan;  ZUCCA Claudio;  GRAINGER Alan;  CHERLET Michael;  ZOUGMORE Robert;  SOKONA Youba;  HILL Joachim;  DELLA PERUTA Raniero;  ROEHRIG Julia;  WANG Guosheng; 

2011-04-14

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

JRC58199

1085-3278,