Global Land Outlook Thematic Report

Context

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has released the Global Land Outlook Thematic Report on Rangelands and Pastoralists. According to the report, up to 50% of rangelands are degraded.

UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

• • UNCCD is a legally binding settlement that aims to protect and restore land, and combat desertification and drought.
  • It was adopted in 1994 and became effective in 1996.
  • The UNCCD is one of the three Rio Conventions. The different  are:
    • Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD); and
    • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
  • The UNCCD focuses on drylands, which are arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas that are domestic to a number of the most prone ecosystems and peoples.
  • Secretariat: The UNCCD’s everlasting Secretariat is located in Bonn, Germany.

• Goals

• Protecting and restoring land
  • Ensuring a safer, just, and extra sustainable future
  • Mitigating the effect of land degradation
  • Providing meals, water, secure place, and economic opportunity to everybody

Rangelands

• • Rangelands are huge areas of land which might be blanketed through grasses, shrubs, forest, wetlands, and deserts and are utilized by wild animals and home livestock for grazing.
  • Rangelands cowl eighty million rectangular kilometres, or over 54% of the terrestrial surface, constituting the most important land cover/use kind in the world
  • Rangelands are often characterised by low and erratic precipitation, bad drainage, difficult topography, and coffee soil fertility.

• Types

• • • Tallgrass and shortgrass Prairies; Desert grasslands and shrublands; forest; Savannas; Chaparrals; Steppes; Tundras; Alpine groups; Marshes and meadows and so on.

• Significance

• • Rangelands are crucial for: Storing carbon; Providing habitats for wildlife; Supporting the arena’s biggest rivers and wetlands; and Keeping carbon within the floor.
  • These areas aid many atmosphere services, including: grazing, natural world habitat, watershed health, and leisure opportunities.
  • These regions account for one 6th of worldwide food production and constitute nearly one third of the planet’s carbon reservoir.

Key highlights of the record: Overall statement

• Degradation of rangelands

• • • Almost half of the sector’s rangelands are degraded because of weather change, populace increase, land-use alternate and growing farmlands.

• Conversion of rangelands generates little public response

• • When we cut down a woodland, when we see a 100-yr-antique tree fall, it rightly evokes an emotional reaction in a lot of us.
  • The conversion of ancient rangelands, however, takes place in silence and generates little public reaction.

Key highlights of the record: India particular remark

• Pastoralists make a contribution lots to the economic system

• • • Pastoralists contribute to the economic system via cattle rearing and milk production.
    • The cattle sector of the economy contributes 4 percent of national gross domestic product and 26 percent of agricultural gross home product.
    • The country also accounts for 20 percent of the arena’s livestock populace.

• Pastoralists in India need better popularity in their rights and get access to markets

• • • Millions of pastoralists in India rear livestock and depend upon grasslands, shrubs and plateaus for sustenance.
    • They need better popularity of their rights and access to markets.
    • Although their genuine numbers in India are unknown, it is envisioned that there are 20 million or extra people in pastoralist communities.
    • These include agencies like the Maldharis, Van Gujjars, and Rabaris.

• Pastoralists in India are a marginalised community

• • • Pastoralists are a marginalised communities with little effect on policy choices, ensuing uncertainty over getting access to common land and land rights.

• Protection of grasslands in India

• • • Although grasslands are considered threatened ecosystems in India, they had been absolutely disregarded in environmental conservation.
    • Ecosystem recuperation guidelines in India are in favour of forestry-based interventions.
    • These consist of converting herbal grasslands into plantation forests or different makes use of.
    • Less than 5 percent of India’s grasslands fall inside protected areas, and the overall grassland area declined from 18 to 12 million hectares between 2005 and 2015.

• Successes highlighted through the report

• • • Some legal guidelines along with the Forest Rights Act 2006 have helped pastoralists achieve grazing rights throughout states within the country.
    • E.g., Van Gujjars won grazing rights and acquired land titles within the Rajaji National Park, following a high court judgment.

• Gradual shift in mindset

• • The record mentioned that there has been a sluggish shift toward the reputation of the socio-ecological position of rangelands and pastoralism in India.
  • It referred to the example of welfare schemes and help furnished to pastoralists underneath the National Livestock Mission, Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund and the Rashtri.

Source: The Hindu

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q. The process of desertification does not have climate boundaries. Justify with examples. (2020).

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