This paper examines the drivers of deforestation and the loss of forest services, and the various mechanisms that exist to protect forests in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). In most cases policy mechanisms play a greater role in forest protection than payment for environmental services (PES) which has yet to develop in the subregion. Scenarios presented suggest that higher income countries will have much greater scope in protecting forest environmental services that low income countries.

En muchas regiones del mundo, la disponibilidad y calidad del agua potable cada vez está más amenazada por su explotación excesiva, el mal uso y la contaminación. En este contexto, la relación entre los bosques y el agua debe recibir una gran prioridad. Las cuencas de captación forestales suministran una gran parte del agua destinada a satisfacer las necesidades domésticas, agrícolas, industriales y ecológicas, tanto en las zonas de río arriba como en las de río abajo.

This guidelines booklet is addressed to the LADA partner countries and, more in general, to the increasing number of countries which are expressing their interest in implementing the LADA approach for mapping Land Degradation. The specific objective is to provide guidelines for the identification, selection and description of nationally based indicators of land degradation. The LADA approach is well defined by a range of specific documents and manuals. The National indicators common to all countries are based on the LADA-Wocat QM manual.

Insect pests, diseases and other biotic agents have considerable impacts on forests and the forest sector. They can adversely affect tree growth and the yield of wood and non-wood products. Damage caused by forest pests can significantly reduce wildlife habitat thereby reducing local biodiversity and species richness.

Dans de nombreuses régions du monde, la quantité d’eau potable et sa qualité sont menacées par la surexploitation, le mauvais usage et la pollution. Il est nécessaire à cet égard d’accorder une haute priorité aux relations entre les forêts et l’eau. Les bassins versants boisés fournissent un pourcentage important de toute l’eau utilisée à des fins domestiques, agricoles, industrielles et écologiques, dans les zones situées tant en amont qu’en aval.

Developments in China will have substantial impacts on forestry in the rest of the region. This wide-ranging country outlook study discusses a host of topics including prospects for China's afforestation/reforestation efforts, supply and demand for forest products and ecological services, key drivers of change, impacts of globalization, policy developments, and social objectives of forestry.

Desertification, land degradation and drought affect more than 2 billion people and the situation might worsen due to the unsustainable use of soil and water under present scenarios of climate change. The UNCCD 10-year strategy points out the importance of science, knowledge sharing systems and awareness raising to support policymakers in reversing this trend. Sustainable land management practices, including sustainable agriculture, provide important local, regional and global benefits.

Established in 1994, the United Nations to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. The Convention addresses specifically the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the drylands, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be found.

This report provides an overview of the challenges and opportunities in addressing road safety in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region.

China is experiencing rapid and large scale urbanization, and the resulting local and global urban environmental challenges are unprecedented. The Chinese Government has fully recognized these challenges and is aiming to promote more sustainable urbanization in line with the objectives of the eleventh five year plan, which calls for 'building a resource-conserving and environmentally friendly society'. Various initiatives are being pursued to support this objective, both at the national and local levels.

The drylands of Africa, exclusive of hyper-arid zones, occupy about 43 per cent of the continent, and are home to a rapidly growing population that currently stands at about 325 million people. Dry zones, inclusive of hyper-arid lands, cover over 70 per cent of the continent’s terrestrial surface. Outside of the cities many dryland inhabitants are either pastoralists, sedentary or nomadic, or agro-pastoralists, combining livestock-rearing and crop production where conditions allow.

Agricultural sectors play a key role in the economics of climate change. Land as an input to agricultural production is one of the most important links between economy and the biosphere, representing a direct projection of human action on the natural environment. Agricultural management practices and cropping patterns have a vast effect on biogeochemical cycles, freshwater availability and soil quality. Agriculture also plays an important role in emitting and storing greenhouse gases.