EU vision of sustainable agriculture, land use, forestry and management of natural resources – level of the Slovak state administration convergence to the EU requirements

Food security and sustainable use of natural resources: a 2020 Vision

UNESCO has been required by its Member States to assist in implementing the recommendations of the World Conference on Science, held in Budapest in June 1999. In particular, UNESCO should identify national strategies for biodiversity protection in biosphere reserves and similarly managed areas, with special emphasis on coastal areas, small islands and mangroves, South-South technology transfer and intensive training for the management of renewable natural resources in selected case studies throughout specific developing countries. With generous support from the Government of Japan, UNESCO is now implementing the ASPACO project from January 2001 to December 2003, in close collaboration with MAB-Japan, ISME and the UNU. The project emphasises the role of biosphere reserves as catalysts for both conservation and development. The complementary roles of UNESCO, ISME and UNU in scientific issues of nature preservation and sustainable use of natural resources are eminent for action in (1) integrated management and sustainable development of coastal areas, including economic zones, and the preservation of natural and cultural heritage via "ethical tourism"; (2) mangrove forest environmental protection, (3) sustainable use and conservation of renewable natural resources under national jurisdiction; and (4) strengthening international, including regional, co-operation and co-ordination. This project will pay particular attention to those countries having or planning biosphere reserves and to those countries whose governments have strong relations with the MAB of UNESCO. Training, capacity building and increase of local capabilities for research and management of sustainable use of renewable natural resources are key elements of the project. In particular, through the involvement of ISME, the project will promote exchange of information, research results and scientists with respect to preservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. It will help to disseminate knowledge of comparative research through publications and/or network databases. Within the framework of action for poverty eradication, the project will try to identify how to improve living conditions for the inhabitants of concerned areas as a basic requirement for human security, with special attention to food and fodder production and the rational use of biodiversity for the benefit of local populations. Capacity building for the development of biosphere reserves will be through North-South exchanges; exchange of experience by training of biosphere reserve managers will be through South-South exchanges. This includes strengthening of existing capacities and increase of local capacity for carrying out management, natural resources assessment, research and training, with special emphasis on the education of young women. Project activities will be located in selected countries of the Pacific region, including small islands of the Pacific and the West Coast of Latin America.

The pressure on natural resources including water, energy and land is continuously growing through changes in climate and land use. Representatives of academia, industry, governments and society need to join forces in order to develop new pathways towards sustainable natural resource use and management. Such pathways start from the basic idea that natural resources are finite and interlinked and that human activities can affect these resources and links, with partly irreversible effects. We combine the water−energy−land nexus and the climate services concept and present a cross-sectoral approach of knowledge co-creation to inform natural resource use and management. The approach is tested in three case studies across Europe that face different challenges resulting from climate and socio-economic change. We present the process, applied methods and major results of knowledge co-creation for sustainable natural resource use and management, and we reflect on the challenges and opportunities from engaging multiple stakeholders. Even if a comprehensive, cross-sectoral approach encourages embedding the water−energy−land nexus into climate services and allows the development of pathways towards sustainable natural resource use and management, maintaining these achievements and partnerships beyond the lifetime of a research project remains challenging.

Challenges and opportunities of knowledge co-creation for the water-energy-land nexus

In today’s conditions, issues related to the ecology and sustainability of natural ecosystems and their components are becoming more relevant. It should be noted that the main driving force affecting the use of land resources is climate change. The demand for land will only grow. At the same time, sustainable (balanced) land use, which is carried out on the basis of sustainable development, equally concerns not only ensuring the protection and maintenance of land potential for future generations, but also providing social and economic opportunities today. Comprehensive spatial development plans for territorial communities are a strategic tool for ensuring effective management of territories. They must not only meet the current needs of the population, economy and infrastructure, but also form the basis for sustainable land use in the long term. In this context, it is important to integrate the principles of land management, which are based on scientific justification for the distribution of land for specific purposes, taking into account state, public and private interests. In addition, comprehensive spatial planning of the development of territorial communities in the face of modern environmental challenges requires the integration of strategic environmental assessment as a key tool for ensuring sustainable development. The growth of anthropogenic load, degradation of natural resources and the consequences of military actions require an objective assessment of the state of the environment, analysis of the potential impacts of planning decisions and the search for alternative approaches that minimize the negative impact on ecosystems. Effective strategic environmental assessment will contribute to the adoption of balanced decisions that will ensure environmental safety, biodiversity conservation and compliance with the goals of sustainable development of territorial communities. It is obvious that sustainable land use, for example, for forestry lands and sustainable use of forest resources are interconnected, since they relate to the use of natural resources that are in an inextricable organic connection. Therefore, the simultaneous integrated use of natural resources, inextricably linked to land, carried out at the level of sustainable nature management, is an important object of planning territorial development, environmental safety, and rational use of land resources. In this regard, the subordination of the legal regime of forestry lands to the legal regime of forests growing on these lands becomes important. In this case, the role of recreational and health-improving forests, which perform mainly recreational, sanitary, hygienic, health-improving functions and are located on relevant lands that require special protection at the level of comprehensive spatial development plans, is actualized in the planning process.

The aim of this study was to assess the institutional constraints that limit the active participation of rural communities in the sustainable use and management of forest resources in Mozambique. It was found that the Land Law does not encourage smallholders to invest in land resource conservation when soil fertility and yields decline and weed infestation begins to manifest. Recognition of customary institutions as legitimate authorities in the management of land and embedded resources by the Land, and Forestry and Wildlife laws constrains the effective participation of women in sustainable use. Both laws externalize the costs of natural resource degradation and have inappropriate beliefs in the capacity of traditional institutions to effectively implement sustainable use and management of natural resources. Lack of skilled human resources was also identified as a key factor limiting the effective implementation of natural resources policies in Mozambique. The majority of rural communities that depend on land, forest, and wildlife resources are unaware of the relevant statutes that govern the ownership and utilization of these natural resources. This paper provides pertinent recommendations for resolving these institutional constraints on the sustainable use and management of natural resources in Mozambique.

Background . Land use is essential in many environmental and socio-economic problems of society. The main form of land management is public management. Public management (or administration) in the field of rational management, use, and protection of land means that the state, in the person of its competent bodies, establishes certain rules and regulations regarding the organization of the use of all land resources of the country and its individual parts (categories of land, types of land use and etc.). Public administration lays the foundations of relations that should serve the protection, preservation, and careful use of land resources and be committed to the principle of sustainable development. The essence of the formation and development of sustainable land use is that all its subjects are included in this process. They must understand that it is necessary to abandon land redistribution if it is not necessary. Since the policy of sustainable land use is gaining more and more attention and importance both in the world and in Ukraine, the purpose of the article is to research and analyze the theoretical foundations of sustainable land use as an object of public management. The research object was sustainable land use. Methods . This publication is based on the use of general and special research methods. The analysis was used to clarify the condition of land management in Ukraine, and synthesis was used to summarize the obtained evidence in order to develop recommendations. The systematic approach was used to study the challenges in the field of modern land use. The normative-value method made it possible to consider the issue of restoring sustainable land use in the postwar period in a multi-level management system. Results . The analysis of sustainable land use made it possible to define the concept of sustainable land use, identify the factors affecting such land use, and consider the stages of the formation of sustainable land use in the multi-level management system. In particular, certain hierarchies of levels of sustainable land use administration were established, namely conceptual, ideological, political, and economic. Each level determines the conceptual mechanisms of actions in relation to land resources. Among the factors of influence on sustainable land use, those due to economic, natural, ecological, legal, technological, and social nature were distinguished. However, urbanization and cultural worldviews have also influenced the sustainable use and management of land resources. At the same time, understanding the jurisdiction of public managers, setting clear goals, developing initiatives for these goals, monitoring and evaluating progress, reporting, and cooperating and partnering were determined as the relevant stages of forming sustainable land use in a multi-level management system. Сonclusions . Thus, sustainable land use requires the involvement of all parties interested in land use, taking into account their needs and supporting the broader cultural, economic, environmental, legal, political, technological, and social frameworks. In addition, the state needs to increase the category of nature conservation lands by creating parks, nature reserves, etc. At the legislative level, it is necessary to establish the principle of land use for the purpose of carrying out economic activities only on developed lands where there is a housing stock and developed infrastructure.

The underlying drivers of sustainable management of natural resources: The case of marine protected areas (MPAs)

Various decision support methods are used to support the sustainable use of natural resources, but there is little evidence about these methods' actual performances. In this study, 35 carefully selected papers assessing the sustainable use of natural resources were evaluated. The evaluated papers utilized one of the following methods: optimization, cost- benefit analysis (CBA) and monetary valuation methods, multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) or hybrid approaches. Each method supported sustainability in a different manner. Optimization and CBA case studies rarely involved stakeholders and social sustainability was less processed. Monetary valuation case studies showed a regular participation of the general public, but in a passive role. Experts and stakeholders with an active role were typical participants in MCDA and hybrid case studies. Internationally and nationally defined indicators of sustainability were scarcely used because indicators were frequently defined by stakeholders or the authors of the studied papers. It was presumed that international and national indicators were unsuitable for local use. Sustainability indicators typically took both the quantitative and qualitative form, including gaps and uncertainties. MCDA could be a suitable method for assessing sustainability because it has no strict requirements on the form of the data, and the participation of stakeholders is comprehensive. For the problem structuring phase, however, MCDA might not provide efficient tools. The ideal method for assessing the sustainable use of natural resources could be a hybrid of two methods with different approaches: qualitative methods could be used in the problem structuring process, whereas quantitative methods could be used when priorities and thresholds are assessed.

The territory of Mexico is covered by forests and wildland up to about 73% of the total territory (World Bank, 2015 and CONAFOR, 2012). This corresponds to around 140 million hectares, 80% of which are owned by communities and ejidos. Starting from the '80s, Mexico has experienced one of the largest deforestation rates in Latin America due to a number of complex socio-economic and political reasons which have reduced incentives to the sustainable use of forests with negative consequences for their long term conservation (Segura, 2000). To address and overcome problems linked to deforestation and forest degradation, the Community-based Forestry Development Project in Southern States (Desarrollo Comunitario Forestal en los Estados del Sur – DECOFOS) was designed and implemented from March 2011 to September 2016 with contribution from the Government of Mexico, IFAD, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and project beneficiaries. The project had two main components. The first component was mainly meant to raise awareness of climate change and of sustainable use and management of natural resources through trainings and capacity development. This component could be instrumental to achieving impacts when combined with the second component which had a more tangible connotation. The second component, indeed, consisted on promoting sustainable management and exploitation of forest and natural resources through reforestation, adoption of agroforestry and of good environmental practices, supporting and facilitating business enterprises through the provision of technical and financial support to the start-up of micro-entrepreneurial projects and small-businesses enterprises.

The territory of Mexico is covered by forests and wildland up to about 73% of the total territory (World Bank, 2015 and CONAFOR, 2012). This corresponds to around 140 million hectares, 80% of which are owned by communities and ejidos. Starting from the '80s, Mexico has experienced one of the largest deforestation rates in Latin America due to a number of complex socio-economic and political reasons which have reduced incentives to the sustainable use of forests with negative consequences for their long term conservation (Segura, 2000). To address and overcome problems linked to deforestation and forest degradation, the Community-based Forestry Development Project in Southern States (Desarrollo Comunitario Forestal en los Estados del Sur – DECOFOS) was designed and implemented from March 2011 to September 2016 with contribution from the Government of Mexico, IFAD, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and project beneficiaries. The project had two main components. The first component was mainly meant to raise awareness of climate change and of sustainable use and management of natural resources through trainings and capacity development. This component could be instrumental to achieving impacts when combined with the second component which had a more tangible connotation. The second component, indeed, consisted on promoting sustainable management and exploitation of forest and natural resources through reforestation, adoption of agroforestry and of good environmental practices, supporting and facilitating business enterprises through the provision of technical and financial support to the start-up of micro-entrepreneurial projects and small-businesses enterprises.

In the contemporary world, many environmental and social crises such as climate change, pollution, resource depletion, energy waste, deforestation, desertification, extinction of species, environmental racism, forced migration, waste trafficking, hazardous waste dumping, environmental injustice, etc. are cumulatively threatening the existence of humans and the planet itself as a result of irresponsible and immoral natural resources exploitation. Sustainable use of natural resources is a normative approach that advocates for responsible and wise use of natural resources to meet the needs of present and future generations. In Islam, the idea of sustainable use of natural resources is not new as the religious scripture Al-Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) instructed us to use the resources wisely in limits. Islam advocates for a harmonious and respectful relationship between humans and nature. Every element of the universe including humans is created by the Almighty one and only Allah in balance with a purpose. Humans are provided with everything needed to survive and flourish from nature by Allah but as vicegerent of Allah, they bear a special responsibility to take care of His creations. Islam advocates for sustainable use of natural resources so that natural resources can be distributed with justice and equity among generations and the natural equilibrium stays intact. This paper unravels the teachings of Islam regarding natural resource usage and shows how it promotes sustainable use of natural resources for future generations. In this paper, it will be shown that the Islamic perspective on natural resource usage can serve as a foundation to mitigate pollution, resource depletion, energy wastage, and other environmental crises prevailing in the current time and motivate the present generation to be cautious, moral, and responsible regarding natural resource usage. Philosophy and Progress, Vol#75-76; No#1-2; Jan-Dec 2024 P 309-334

The United Nations has envisaged a sustainable development plan for the year 2030 which initiates 17 sustainability development goals (SDGs) with objectives that promote all round development. This forum encourages contributions from all sectors—governments, industrial, civil organizations, public and private sectors—as opportunities for the fulfillment of these goals. The textile and fashion industries have been very popular in the extensive use of natural resources accompanied by waste and waste products that tend to pollute the environment causing hazards to the living organisms in the planet. Businesses and brands in the textile and apparel sector are earnestly working on aligning their production and management on the basis of sustainability, the pinnacle being the sustainability development goals. This chapter deals with the sustainable management and effective use of natural resources (SDG 12—Target 12.2)—water, energy and soil for the development of sustainable textile fibers and certification methodologies for sustainable reporting (SDG 12—Target 12.6). This can be achieved by sound management of chemicals and wastes occurring in the production cycle or life cycle of a product (SDG 12—Target 12.4). Green productivity in sustainable manufacturing calls for improved resource efficiency and waste reductions by implementing a cleaner manufacturing strategy. The specialized long value chain of the textile and fashion industry is poised to address the sustainability challenge to achieve the economic, social and environment development goals.

Achieving sustainable land use is one of the most important ways to achieve regional socio-economic sustainable development. We have collected 12 papers in this special issue “Sustainable Land Use in China” to show the varied application of sustainable land use studies and to provide meaningful decision-making information and policy implications for land use planners. We summarize the contributions to this special issue on sustainable land use and place them in perspective. Several studies focus on sustainable urban land use, some focus on sustainable rural land use, and others on environmental issues on land use. These studies have analyzed a broad array of topics related to land use, including the dynamic changes and driving forces of land use spatial patterns, sustainable land use, land use policy and optimization, and the environmental problems related to certain types of land use.

Aim of the studyThe purpose of the study is to consider the issue of sustainable land use in Ukraine, taking into account the consequences of the war. The legal definition of sustainable land use is currently not sufficiently justified and balanced. In Ukraine today, the paradigm of sustainable (balanced) land use is still being formed, and the Land Policy Strategy for the management of land resources and land use should be based on it.Material and methodsThe method of analysis is used to determine the possibilities of a more rapid development of the socially oriented market economy after the war. This can happen thanks to the deepening of the theoretical foundations of the rational use of land resources (the synthesis method), optimization of the economic, social and ecological components of land use (deduction method), which in turn will contribute to increasing the socio - economic efficiency of the use and reproduction of the productive potential of Ukraine's lands in the post-war period (system approach).Results and conclusionsIt was determined that sustainable (balanced) land use should be understood as a system of organizing the use and protection of land and other natural resources and biodiversity and corresponding land relations corresponding to the relations of social development, in which the optimal relationship between social, ecological and economic factors of land use development is achieved. The essence of the research component of the institutionalization of balanced land use is disclosed. A paradigm of views on sustainable land use is formulated, taking into account the consequences of the war in Ukraine.