Land Degradation in Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA): Assessment and Conservation (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9783725844791)

As global population growth intensifies pressure on land, land degradation has become a critical issue, costing approximately USD 490 billion annually and resulting in trillions in lost ecosystem services. According to the IPCC (2019), 70% of the Earth's ice-free land is impacted by human activity, with a quarter experiencing degradation. Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs), already vulnerable, face heightened threats, affecting ecosystems, livelihoods, climate stability, and biodiversity. Despite the urgency, research and conservation efforts in ESAs remain limited.

This Special Issue, entitled "Land Degradation in Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA): Assessment and Conservation" aims to address these gaps by focusing on two main objectives: (1) advancing the assessment and quantification of land degradation, and (2) exploring innovative solutions and methodologies to combat degradation and promote sustainable land management.