Long Term Monitoring & Research in Drylands

ABRAHAM, ELENA

Ben Gurion

Conferencia; The 3rd International Conference on Drylands Deserts & Desertification; 2010

Ben Gurion University of the Negev

The need to base strategies for degraded dryland restoration on integrated desertification assessment is discussed herein, bearing in mind that consensus should be reached on which type of dryland development models is to be adopted, translating knowledge/experience into concrete measures, pointing out that - whatever model is chosen- science and technology should be the basis for decision-making, giving priority to the role of Long Term monitoring & research in drylands as a guarantee of success on the route to the restoration of degraded drylands. This presentation is framed within strategic goals of the UNCCD regarding the new role that knowledge generation must play in decision making and in identifying desertification/land degradation/restoration problems. Emphasis is laid on the need to work with B+I at all levels. A minimum set of impact indicators is presented, selected in compliance with UNCCD’s 10-year strategic objectives. A serious deficit in the generation and updating of knowledge about desertification extent, dynamics and trends, worldwide, was recognized at the sessions of the COP 9. Two major milestones were achieved in this meeting: acknowledgment of the importance of the participation of Science and Technology to strengthen the Science and Technology Committee, and adoption of a (limited) number of Indicators at global and national level. For these goals to be accomplished, the continuity, robustness and homogeneity of data collection and processing must be guaranteed. The potential of national and international networks for long-term desertification research and monitoring is therefore analyzed, ensuring their permanence in time, which will enable them to contribute an assessment and monitoring system and constant surveillance to generate both early warning systems and appropriate restoration measures. Permanent sites for long-term desertification assessment and monitoring can add value to national databases, scientific collections of data on biodiversity, soils, climate, land use and socioeconomic and production statistics, overcoming problems of discontinuity, lack of homogeneity in data collection, information gaps, assessment and monitoring strictness.  Strategies are put forward for incorporating local communities and governments to integrated assessment processes, highlighting the role of science and technology agencies in the process. This contribution presents some possibilities to start implementing this network, stressing the importance of what and how to measure (B+I) and of the contributions made by existing networks such as the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of the MAB Programme, the Network of Earth Observatories and the recently created Global Network of Dryland Research Institutes (GNDRI).