Land Degradation in Europe

This dataset includes the Land Multi-degradation Index (LMI) for arable and agricultural lands and data for 12 indicators (land degradation processes) which were compiled to develop the LMI. The dataset includes the agricultural (~2 million km2) and the arable (~1.1 million km2) lands of the EU and other European countries.
Resource Type: 
Datasets
Soil Threats Data
Registration is requested: 
Yes
Year: 
2024
Themes: 
Land degradation

Title: Land Degradation in Europe
Description: Land degradation is a complex socio-environmental threat, which generally occurs as multiple concurrent pathways that remain largely unexplored in Europe. Here we present an unprecedented analysis of land multi-degradation in 40 continental countries, using twelve dataset-based processes that were modelled as land degradation convergence and combination pathways in Europe’s agricultural (and arable) environments.The twelve indicators include: Water erosion, Wind erosion, Soil organic carbon loss, Soil salinization, Soil acidification, Soil compaction, Soil nutrient imbalances, Soil pollution via pesticides, Soil pollution via heavy metals, Vegetation degradation, Groundwater decline and Aridity
Spatial Coverage: EU plus UK, CH, NO and Western Balkans (40 countries in total)
Resolution: 500m
Time Reference:  1981-2021
Format: GEOTIFF Units: Number of land degradation processes for LMI. Binary (Non-critical / Non degraded and Critical / Degraded) for the 12 indicators
Projection: ETRS89LAEA - ETRS89 Lambert Azimutal Equal Area
More Information: Land degradation
 

References:

Prăvălie, R., Borrelli, P., Panagos, P., Ballabio, C., Lugato, E., Chappell, A., Miguez-Macho, G., Maggi, F., Peng, J., Niculiță, M. and Roșca, B., Patriche, C.,Dumitrașcu, M., Bandoc, G., Nita, I.A. and Birsan, M.V. 2024. A unifying modelling of multiple land degradation pathways in Europe. Nature Communications, 15(1), 3862. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48252-x

Main highlights:

  • >80% of EU agricultural lands are degraded.
  • 27%, 35% and 22% of continental agricultural (~2 million km2) and arable (~1.1 million km2) lands are currently threatened by one, two, and three drivers of degradation
  • 10% of pan-European agricultural / arable landscapes are cumulatively affected by four and at least five concurrent land degradation processes

 

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For any problem / question / comment on this dataset, please contact ec-esdac@ec.europa.eu

Notification:

  1. The data provided has been prepared for use by internal research activities in EU Soil Observatory (JRC Ispra) in collaboration with scientists from the University of Bucharest, supported by the EU’s NextGenerationEU instrument through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan of Romania – Pillar III-C9-2022-I8, managed by the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization, within the project entitled “Complex modelling of multiple land degradation processes in Europe. Towards an integrative scientific framework for sustainable land management across the continent".
  2. The data were developed for research purposes of the JRC (European Commission). The JRC does not accept any liability whatsoever for any error, missing data or omission in the data, or for any loss or damage arising from its use. The JRC agrees to provide the data free of charge but is not bound to justify the content and values contained in the databases.
  3. The permission to use the data specified above is granted on condition that, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES are these data passed to third parties. They can be used for any purpose, including commercial gain.
  4. The user agrees to:
       a) Make proper reference to the source of the data when disseminating the results to which this agreement relates;
       b) Participate in the verification of the data (e.g. by noting and reporting any errors or omissions discovered to the JRC).



 

 

Reference of source (Citations) :

Prăvălie, R., Borrelli, P., Panagos, P., Ballabio, C., Lugato, E., Chappell, A., Miguez-Macho, G., Maggi, F., Peng, J., Niculiță, M. and Roșca, B., Patriche, C.,Dumitrașcu, M., Bandoc, G., Nita, I.A. and Birsan, M.V. 2024. A unifying modelling of multiple land degradation pathways in Europe. Nature Communications, 15(1), 3862. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48252-x

When making reference to the ESDAC

  • Panagos, P., Van Liedekerke, M., Borrelli, P., Köninger, J., Ballabio, C., Orgiazzi, A., Lugato, E., Liakos, L., Hervas, J., Jones, A.  Montanarella, L. 2022. European Soil Data Centre 2.0: Soil data and knowledge in support of the EU policies. European Journal of Soil Science, 73(6), e13315. DOI: 10.1111/ejss.13315
  • Panagos P., Van Liedekerke M., Jones A., Montanarella L., “European Soil Data Centre: Response to European policy support and public data requirements”; (2012) Land Use Policy, 29 (2), pp. 329-338. doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2011.07.003
  • European Soil Data Centre (ESDAC), esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu, European Commission, Joint Research Centre