The main issues associated with Mediterranean desertification

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Table of indicators relating to institutional organisation to combat desertification
Authors: Giovanni Quaranta, Rosanna Salvia, Monica Caggiano <quaranta@unibas.it>


Based on the discussion of the issue of institutional organisation to combat desertification and on a workshop session carried out by members of the DESERTLINKS project, we have attempted to structure the relationship of the indicators to the issue.

The institutional organisation issue is divided into three themes:

  • what can be observed (or process or state dynamics);
  • reasons for what is observed (or factors influencing the issue or driving forces and pressures);
  • consequences of what is observed (or impacts and responses).

The different facets of each theme are given in sub-themes and indicators of direct relevance to measuring or monitoring are suggested. Some are also suggested as headline indicators which, if considered as a group, form a sub-set of indicators encapsulating the major processes in institutional organisation (see also Combining and using indicators: Headline indicators).

Please note that the structure presented in the table below is open to discussion. It may not be comprehensive because it is restricted to the indicators currently in the DIS4ME database. Some indicators appear more than once because they relate to more than one theme. This structure is something we would like to develop further in the future.



Theme Indicators
Institutional organisation to combat desertification For headlline indicators check those identified by the National Committees themselves as relevant to the implementation of the Convention.
National assessment of desertification risk ESI
Drought index
Land use type
Land use evolution
Erosion risk (RDI)
Salinization Potential
Fire risk
Drought resistance
Acidified area
Soil erosion
Vegetation cover
Water quality
Groundwater depth (change in)
Flooding frequency
Grazing intensity
Deforested Area
Water quality
Tourism change
Land abandoned from agriculture
GDP per capita
R & D expenditure

In this case the question is have these assessments been made, not what are the actual results.

The implication is that these are the core data sets necessary to assess desertification nationally. Is this right? Are they the same as the headline indicators?

National policy and strategy framework

Land Use Policy
Water use policy/law
Fire Protection
Protection by national parks
Policy enforcement
Internal resources mobilisation
EU production subsidies
Number of rural development programmes, actions and measures implemented
Illegal buildings

 
Local capacity for combating desertification

Adult education level
Employment index
Unemployment rate
Human poverty index
Farmer's age
Demographic variation index
Old age index
Population density
Population growth rate
Fragmentation of land parcels
Farm size
Accessibility
Farmer cooperatives
Public perception of desertification

 
Local use of best practices Land use intensity
Area of marginal soil used
Soil erosion control measures
Soil water conservation measures
Sustainable forest management
Sustainable farming
Reclamation of affected soils
Grazing control
Reclamation of mining areas
Number of local action plan to combat desertification
 

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