Terrasafe

Context

Desertification, as defined by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), is the degradation of land in drylands caused by factors such as climate variations and human activities. In Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe, about 25% of the land is highly or very highly vulnerable to degradation. This vulnerability is expected to worsen with future climate change and continued pressures from current land use practices.

Land degradation varies greatly depending on the specific contextt, so solutions to prevent and reverse it must consider local social, economic, environmental and political conditions.  In a multi-actor stakeholder approach TERRASAFE will actively involve local communities of landowners and other stakeholders in decision-making processes on viable desertification prevention and restoration measures.  This collaborative approach, supported by scientifically sound and robust tools and guidelines tailored by the local communities to their specific circumstances, will enhance desertification resilience and lead to transformative positive impacts.

Aims and Objectives

The overarching goal of TERRASAFE is to significantly empower local communities in southern Europe and northern Africa to confront the growing threats of desertification, particularly accelerated by climate change. This will be achieved by co-developing, co-implementing, co-assessing cost-effectiveness, co-demonstrating, co-disseminating, and co-promoting the widespread adoption of nature-based, technological, and social innovations for land degradation prevention and restoration.