Abstract

LOPEZ SANTOS, Armando. Land degradation neutrality, a global aspiration. Is it possible to achieve in Mexico?. Terra Latinoam [online]. 2016, vol.34, n.2, pp.239-249. ISSN 2395-8030.

Land degradation neutrality (LDN), or balance impairment, is a challenge posed by the Committee on Science and Technology (CST) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), of which Mexico is a member. It is a modern concept that goes beyond the edaphic resource, expressing a global goal and a national voluntary target to counteract the advance of land degradation by 2030. This means stopping or reversing the trend of decreasing physical-biotic quality (water-soil-plant-atmosphere) and supporting ecosystems functioning to achieve a state of sufficient balance to maintain a level of ecosystem health style="border-top: 1px solid black; border-bottom: 1px solid black;" and guarantee food security for future generations. The aim of this essay was to analyze Mexico’s possibilities for implementing the principles and actions necessary to prevent, halt and reverse the rate of degradation ofits lands. A brief analysis of the circumstances, both globally and in the context of Mexico, where environmental policy goals and economic growth must be reconciled. Otherwise, the consequences of over-exploiting resources must be faced and LDN will become only a frustrated challenge to the trend of land degradation and the quality of life of future generations will be increasingly compromised.

Keywords : land quality; physical-biotic space; environmental health.