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Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area
Last updated on 1 February 2022
This indicator is currently classified as Tier I. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the Custodian agency for this indicator. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) are partner agencies.
Unit of measure: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area (%)
Why is this indicator important?
Food production, extractive industries, or the expansion of infrastructure increase pressure on arable lands, pastures, forestry, and other essential areas. In turn, land degradation has negative effects on ecosystems, farm yields, and the quantity and quality of water resources. As a consequence, food insecurity may rise and facilitate migration and urbanization.
To assess the extent of land degradation is important for tracking progress towards voluntary Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets and for the development of plans of action to redress degradation, including through the conservation, sustainable management, rehabilitation and restoration of land resources.
How is the indicator measured and monitored?
According to the metadata document, the indicator uses a binary classification (degraded or not degraded) drawing on the three sub-indicators that assess trends in land cover, in land productivity, and in carbon stocks above and below ground. Any significant decrease or negative change in one of the three is considered to compromise land degradation. Land degradation is defined the reduction or loss of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of rain fed cropland, irrigated cropland, or range, pasture, forest and woodlands resulting from a combination of pressures, including land use and management practices. (UNCCD 1994, Article 1).
Since 2018, data is collected every four years through UNCCD’s national reporting and review process. Data sources include databases, maps, reports provided by ministries or agencies along with national statistical offices, as well as remote sensing, such Earth Observation data sources, that are disaggregated to national level. The Good Practices Guidance for SDG Indicator 15.3.1, version 2.0 provides a detail overview on monitoring and computation. The main limitations include the availability of historical time series and the, as of yet, often limited national capacities to process, interpret, and validate geospatial data.
By Anne Hennings, peer-reviewed by UNCCD.
Official indicator data
The proportion of land that is degraded draws on three sub-indicators: Land productivity, land cover, and soil organic carbon. * Select "year" below to see the most recent data for more countries.
Other related indicators on Land Portal
In addition to the official indicator data, the following indicators provide information concerning land under organic agriculture and the enforcement of land use restrictions in rural areas.
Indicator | Min-Max Number of years |
Countries / Obs | Min / Max Value |
---|---|---|---|
Agricultural area certified organic | |||
Agriculture area under organic agric. | |||
Restrictions regarding rural land use are enforced |
Assistance to Land Use Planning: Ethiopia. Provisional Soil Association Map of Ethiopia (1:2,000,000)
The 1: 2 000 000 Soil Associations map is based on
the Geomorphology and Soils map, at 1: 1 000 000 scals, prepared
by the FAO/UNDP Eth/78/003, Assistance to Land Use PlJ
Project in 1981 It incorporates some new information ob%,3 _
since the finalizing of the Geomorphology and soils map.
Carbon Finance Possibilities for Agriculture, Forestry and other Land Use Projects in a Smallholder Context
This booklet is intended to guide extension service advisors and institutions who work with small-scale farmers and foresters with an interest in Carbon inance and Carbon Projects. Its aim is to support setting-up carbon projects which involve small-scale farmers.
Their participation allows them to be involved in the development and implementation of
Agriculture, forestry and other land use emissions by sources and removals by sinks
This report discusses new knowledge on anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) activities made available through the new FAOSTAT Emission database. The database is available globally, with country detail, for all agriculture, forestry and land sub-categories available in FAOSTAT and in the Forest Resources Assessment (FRA).
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By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
Indicator details
The Indicator is conceptually clear, has an internationally established and available methodology and standards, and that data is regularly produced by countries for at least 50 per cent of countries and of the population in every region where the indicator is relevant.
Key dates: