Western Sydney University researchers have contributed to a landmark international study published in Nature warning that urgent action is needed to transform global food systems to avert a worsening land degradation crisis – a major threat driving climate change, biodiversity loss, and social crises worldwide.
Led by a team of 21 scientists from around the world, the study recommends ways to use food systems to halt and reverse land degradation, underlining that doing so must become a top global priority to mitigate climate change and stop biodiversity loss. It advocates for ambitious targets, including restoring 50 per cent of degraded lands by 2050, up from the current global goal of 30 per cent by 2030.
Currently, food production occupies around 34 per cent of the Earth's ice-free land, and food systems contribute approximately 21 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, roughly one-third of all food produced is wasted, highlighting the urgent need to reduce food waste by 75 per cent to ease pressure on land and resources.
Preventing and reversing land degradation are key objectives of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and are also fundamental for the other two Rio Conventions: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Professor Graciela Metternicht, Dean of the School of Science at Western Sydney University and co-author of the study, emphasised the urgency of looking at this issue through a systems-thinking lens.
"This research shows that we can no longer treat land degradation, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity as separate issues. They are deeply interconnected – and we must respond with integrated, science-based solutions if we aspire to safeguarding Australia's land, ecosystems, and communities for generations to come," said Professor Metternicht.
The study found that restoring 50 per cent of degraded land through sustainable land management practices would correspond to the restoration of around 13 million square kilometres. It also highlights the need for a shift in diets towards more sustainable options, such as seafood and seaweed, which could save millions of square kilometres of cropland and help millions avoid nutrient deficiencies.
As part of the study, the researchers showcase multiple actions for tackling land degradation that also yield climate and biodiversity benefits while fostering sustainable food systems that contribute to avoiding the risk of a global food crisis.
They urge collective action to acknowledge the pivotal role of land in achieving the goals of the Rio Conventions and to embed food systems within intergovernmental agreements, enabling decisive progress on the complex and interconnected global crises that we face.
