United Nations University Land Restoration Training Programme UNU – LRT

1. United Nations University Land Restoration Training Programme UNU – LRT Education towards a sustainable future Hafdís Hanna Ægisdóttir and ÁgústSigurðsson LAND RESTORATION TRAINING PROGRAMME

2. Mission of UNU - LRT • To train specialists from developing countries to combat land degradation and restore degraded land. • To assist strengthening institutional capacity in the field of land restoration and sustainable land management in developing countries.

3. Organization of UNU – LRT

4. United Nations University • Established in 1973 • Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan • “Academic arm of the UN system implementing research and educational programmes in the area of sustainable development with the aim of assisting developing countries” • Source: www.unu.edu

5. Mission of United Nations University • “The UN University’s mission is to contribute, through collaborative research, capacity development and advisory services, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems of human survival, development and welfare that are the concern of the United Nations, its Peoples and Member States. In doing so it pays due attention to the social sciences and the humanities as well as the natural sciences” • UNU Strategic Plan 2009-2012. See www.unu.edu

6. UNU institutions UNU Strategic Plan 2009-2012. See www.unu.edu

7. Three UNU programmes in Iceland • UNU-Geothermal Training Programme – established in 1978 • UNU-Fisheries Training Programme – established in 1998 • ... And the UNU- Land Restoration Training Programme • The fourth training programme in Iceland in the pilot phase aiming at being recognized as a UNU programme • Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme

8. UNU-LRT commitment to UNU principles • UNU-LRT contributes to resolving urgent global problems, i.e. degradation of land, through generation and sharing of knowlegde and capacity development in developing countries • UNU-LRT builds and strengthens institutional and individual capacities to deal with issues related to land degradation and unsustainable land use in developing countries

9. Combating land degradation with • sustainable and ecologically sound solutions • UNU-LRT main concerns: • Land degradation • Soil erosion • Unsustainable land use • Desertification

10. UNU-LRT and sustainability • Sustainability is central to all work of UNU-LRT • The UNU-LRT programme places emphases on a sustainble use of the land and soil and promotes a sustainable land management

11. Land degradation – a global challenge • Main causes: overgrazing, deforestation, unsustainable policies etc. • Severe impact on environment, climate and human societies • Many developing countries confronted with severe land degradation and problems resulting from unsustainable land use and climate change • Land restoration and sustainable land management is a critical part of the daunting challenge to confront poverty and achieve secure livelihood in poor, rural societies in developing countries

12. What can Iceland offer?

13. UNU - LRT builds on the Icelandic experience • 1000 years of deforestation, soil erosion and desertification

14. Most of Iceland was covered with fertile vegetated ecosystems when man arrived • Nearly 40% of Iceland is now barren desert • Additional 15% with limited plant growth • Large part of the remaining vegetated areas are severely degraded

15. An estimate of birch woodlands at the time of settlement (around 900 AD) Source: Iceland Forest Service

16. The current extent of birch woodlands Source: Iceland Forest Service

17. Estimated soil erosion in 1997 Source: Agricultural Research Institute & Icelandic Soil Conservation Service

18. UNU - LRT builds on the Icelandic experience • 1000 years of deforestation, soil erosion and desertification • 100 years of soil conservation activities • 100 years development history – from poverty to success • Iceland has much experience to share with the rest of the world – developing countries in particular

19. UNU–LRT • Rooted in the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) • Also strongly relates to other UN conventions and programmes • The Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) • The Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) • Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)

20. UN Millennium Development Goals • 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger • 2. Achieve universal primary education • 3. Promote gender equality and empower women • 4. Reduce child mortality • 5. Improve maternal health • Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases • 7. Ensure environmental sustainability • 8. Develop a global partnership for development

21. UNU – LRT activities • Six month post-graduate training on sustainable land management and restoration of degraded land

22. The six-month training programme is divided into nine modules 1) Orientation and introduction to Icelandic Society 2) Land use and degradation: setting the scene 3) Processes and principles of land degradation, restoration and sustainable land management 4) Environmental governance and land management planning 5-6) Specialized lines offered 2010 and 2011 i) Land degradation assessment/Land restoration ii) Sustainable land management 7) Practical training 8) Field trip around Iceland 9) Individual project work

23. UNU – LRT activities • Six month post-graduate training on sustainable land management and restoration of degraded land • Training activities in developing countries through short courses and research • MSc and PhD fellowship at Icelandic universities for previous outstanding UNU-LRT fellows

24. Graduated fellows since 2007

25. Kyrgyzstan Mongolia Uzbekistan Tunisia Egypt Niger Ethiopia Ghana Uganda Namibia http://soilerosion.net/image/glasod.gif

27. UNU - Land Restoration Training Programme