Fjölrit RALA - 05.12.1999, Page 149

RALA Reportno. 200
Conclusions of the workshop on Rangeland Desertification;
Iceland 1997
Halldór Thorgeirsson
Ministry for the Environment, Vonarstraeti 4, 150 Reykjavik, lceland
Tei: 354 560 0600: Fa.x: 354 562 4566; E-mail: halldor.thorgeirssonlgþimh.stjr.is
Highliohts of issues discussed
During the workshop on Rangeland Desertification, that was held in Iceland in Sep-
tember, 1997, an ad hoc group was formed to discuss and bring together conclusions
of the meeting. This paper presents the highlights of the discussion at a summing-up
session prepared by the ad hoc group. Please note that the meeting was not an inter-
govemmental meeting and the participants attended in their personal capacity.
The context
• Rangelands are of key importance in the context of desertification globally, both in
terms of extent and socio-economic impact.
• Demographic pressures on rangelands will continue to increase. Desertifícation is
not just an African problem; it is a global issue. Particularly vulnerable groups
have to be identified and catered to. The demands put on rangelands by society are
not limited to food and fiber, rangeland management needs to meet multiple de-
mands simultaneously, including outdoor recreation, hunting, water supply, con-
servation, etc.
• There is a need to act in spite of uncertainty. The CCD needs to be founded on
sound science, however. Leadership and deeper political commitment is needed
from affected as well as unaffected countries.
• Interaction between the scientific community and the decision-makers needs to be
strengthened. Stakeholders need to play an integral part in the planning, imple-
mentation and evaluation of desertification control actions. A sense of ownership
in the solution should be strengthened. Empowerment of stakeholders and capacity
building at all levels needs special attention.
• Guiding principles for desertification control need to be elaborated, taking notice
of socio-economic consideration, ethical issues, ecosystem dynamics and extemal
driving forces. National strategies and programs are critical.
• The context provided by the Icelandic rangelands, which have undergone cata-
strophic desertification, helped to underline the sense of urgency.
The science
• Specific case histories demonstrated that the rangeland systems in climatically di-
verse regions have more in common than what separates them. The desertification
in Iceland is an excellent example of desertification and can provide insights appli-
cable to other parts of the world.
• The degradation of rangelands needs to be evaluated based on the area’s ecological
properties, and methods designed for croplands are generally not applicable. Un-
derstanding the ecosystem functions in vital, for assessment, management objec-
tives and counted measures. Management of rangelands needs to be based on un-