Increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration is expected to impact agricultural systems through a direct effect on leaf gas exchange and also due to effects on the global availability of good-quality water as a result of climate warming. Thus, the planning of land use for agriculture requires new tools to identify the capability of current cultivars to adapt to growth restrictions under new ambient conditions.

In 1999 the Scottish Parliament convened for the first time in almost 300 years and in response to long-standing popular discontent about highly concentrated land ownership passed the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. Quite in contrast to the emphasis that much of the international development literature and policy have placed on the importance of individual private ownership, Scotland's land reform promotes community ownership. Rather than breaking up large private estates, land reformers aim to keep these estates whole while transferring ownership of them to local communities.

China is a developing country plagued by a long-term and large-scale desertification, which causes serious environmental problems. At the same time, China also has a long history of fighting desertification, especially in the recent decades. Thus, we think China's experience and lessons may be very important and useful for other developing countries to promote the degradation mitigation and life improvement.