CentraLand

Given the challenges posed by land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change, there is an urgent need for transformative actions to effectively achieve the targets enshrined in the SDGs and the three Rio conventions. Healthy land is the operative link between people, nature and climate, which is why science-based and economically viable pathways are necessary to halt land conversion, ensure the sustainable use of what has already been converted, and ecologically restore what has been degraded. Transformative actions must lead to a just transition that can safeguard planetary sustainability while significantly minimizing harm to humans from earth system change. Previous initiatives led by the UN have already paid attention to the nexus of land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change. While these initiatives lay an important foundation for understanding the interdependencies between land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change, scientific evidence on this nexus is needed to guide truly transformative change at local, national and international levels for sustainable land management and resilience, while ensuring a just transition.

Building on the above initiatives and based on the measures defined in the three Rio conventions, PIK will apply the planetary boundaries framework to 1) examine the current state of research on the land-based planetary boundaries in the context of environmental change and the objective of a just transition, as well as develop a framework for future empirical and model-based research on this topic; and 2) develop recommendations for action, scaling up ambitions and investments in land restoration and resilience.

The focus of the research will be placed on the land-based planetary boundaries, in particular land system change, climate change, biosphere integrity and biogeochemical flows. In addition, we will pay special attention to the socio-economic challenges in addressing the land-based planetary boundaries and a just transition, including aspects related to agricultural and other livelihoods, food security, human health, urbanization, migration, conflict, land governance, gender and indigenous perspectives, among others.