The Values for Land-From Degradation to Opportunity
In 2026, our long standing partner-organisation Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) Initiative marks its 15th anniversary, celebrating a journey defined by one central idea: turning degradation into opportunity. Over the past decade and a half, ELD has worked at the intersection of science, economics, and policy to demonstrate that sustainable land management is not only an environmental necessity, but also a sound economic investment.
Established in 2011 between the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the European Commission and hosted by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the ELD recently entered its second decade of activities. More than ever, this needs to bring “transformative action for land”.
A formula for the regenerative landscape economy
Their 15 years anniversary publication “The values of land – From degradation to opportunity”, was launched by ELD at COP17 of the UNCCD in Ulanbatar, Mongolia.
Willem Ferwerda contributed to it with an article “A formula for the regenerative landscape economy” download it here.