Environment

Land Degradation Neutrality

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Definition

Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) is a state whereby the amount and quality of land resources necessary to support ecosystem functions and services and enhance food security remain stable or increase within specified temporal and spatial scales and ecosystems (UNCCD decision 3/COP.12, 2015). It is codified in SDG target 15.3, which calls for a land degradation-neutral world by 2030.

References

IISD ENBUnited Nations Convention to Combat Desertification — LDN history and COP12 definition

Official definition, decision 3/COP.12, target-setting programme and country commitments

Trends.EarthLand degradation and SDG 15.3.1 — reporting guidance

Indicator 15.3.1 and its three sub-indicators

Overview

What it means

LDN applies an offsetting logic to land: degradation that cannot be avoided must be counterbalanced by restoring an equivalent amount of degraded land, so the net stock of healthy, productive land does not decline.

The concept, championed by the UNCCD from around 2012, was piloted in 14 countries, endorsed at COP12 (2015), and is supported by a Target Setting Programme; more than 130 countries have committed to setting voluntary LDN targets. Progress is tracked with SDG indicator 15. 3. 1 using land cover, land productivity and soil organic carbon sub-indicators.

How it is used

Governments set national LDN baselines and targets, integrate them into land-use planning, and report through the UNCCD; the framework guides restoration finance and programmes such as the Great Green Wall and Bonn Challenge.

Why it matters

LDN gives the world's land-restoration efforts a measurable, no-net-loss goal, analogous to net zero for climate.