Experience in application and adaptation of the land degradation neutrality concept in the Russian Federation

Abstract

AbstractThe paper provides an overview of the—evolving methodology for the land degradation neutrality (LDN) assessment based on studies at national, regional, and local levels in Russia. A review of more than one hundred publications in Russian language over the past 6–7 years allowed for analysis of the following areas: LDN terminology, LDN assessment at different levels, adapting a transition matrix; using the LDN concept for economic valuation of land, estimating LDN baseline, and using LDN as an integral indicator for sustainable land management. With the LDN concept, a global approach to monitoring land degradation has become applicable beyond the limited geographic scope of the drylands. The paper observes how the LDN concept has been broadened with the introduction of the LDN Index proposed to evaluate the rate of LDN achievement; a proposal on reconstructing transition matrices and adding land cover sub‐categories; approach of integrating traditional national sectoral systems for assessing land quality with an LDN add‐on. The broader relevance of the paper includes the justification that it provides for using the LDN concept by policy‐makers at national and subnational levels, in particular in Russian‐speaking countries. It includes the application of additional indicators to capture soil erosion, salinity, soil depletion, aridity, etc., and using different site‐specific LDN baselines, not only those time‐based but also factoring natural background trends like climate change, natural succession cycles linked with geological and geomorphological processes. Approaches for LDN‐based economic valuation of lands and typology of sustainable land management practices and models were also fruitful.