Land degradation is a major risk to the sustainability and functioning of socioecological systems (SES), especially in arid/semiarid regions. By understanding a system and its interlinkages, the socioecological approach offers an innovative way to explore degradation. This is achieved through a synergistic analytical approach to improve the ability of identifying and understanding systems, predicting their behaviour, and modifying them to achieve the desired effects.

Environmental identities and attitude towards oil pipeline vandalism in Niger Delta oil-producing communities were examined to show whether low environmental identity is associated with an environmentally destructive attitude, as well as how such issues may be connected with incidents of oil pipeline vandalism in the area. A survey of youths (N = 603) from selected oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta area was conducted. A subset of the sample participated in focus group discussions, and ten experts were interviewed.

The growing and multiple interests in land as a resource has led to an increase in locally or regionally clashing land use interests on agricultural land which may result in conflicts or open up possibilities for synergies. Urbanization, food production, renewable energy production, environmental protection, and climate protection are known as key land use interests in many regions. The objective of our study is to identify and map land use conflicts, land use synergies, and areas with land use synergy potentials in the federal state of Brandenburg, Germany.