Ongoing Projects

Global Assessment of Land Use Change on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Ecosystem Services (GLUES)

Paradigm Shifts Modelling and Innovative Approaches (PASHIMINA) 

PASHMINA is funded within the 7th Framework Programme by the European Commission. It aims at showing that it is possible to address global changes in along term time perspective (2030-2050). A first task is to develop new tools (new generation models and indicators) with enhanced capabilities to take into account the interaction between the economy and the environment, paradigm shifts in the energy-transport-environment nexus and the land-use and territorial functions related to agriculture, forestry and more in general ecosystem services. More information on the project is available here.

Global Land Use Change

The IfW is part of the “Global Land Use Change” project steered by WWF Germany and Meo Carbon Solutions. Other project partners are WWF US, Indonesia, Brasil and Colombia as well as HCU Network Project. The project is financially supported by the German Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) in the framework of its Climate Initiative program. The goal of the Climate Initiative is to trap existing potential for reducing emissions in a cost-effective way and to advance innovative model projects for climate protection.

Emissions from deforestation, logging and intensive cultivation account for a substantial part of global carbon dioxide emissions. In fact, conversion to cropland and pastureland, infrastructure development, destructive logging and fires cause nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (UN-REDD 2009). This figure is greater than that of the entire global transportation sector and second only to that of the energy sector. In particular, Brazil and Indonesia have large emissions from land use change (LUC) - accounting for 61% of global carbon dioxide emissions from LUC (Le Quéré et al. 2009).

However, it is estimated that more than half of the carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere by the use of fossil fuels and deforestation is taken up by the oceans and the terrestrial biosphere (Baker 2007). Therefore global forests, peatlands and grasslands play a double role in climate change mitigation strategies. On the one hand their protection avoids emitting huge additional amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and therefore the acceleration of climate change. On the other hand the growth of biomass and peatland soils by natural regrowth or afforestation can contribute to further carbon sequestration in these natural sinks and thus to mitigating climate change.

Against this background, the objective of the project is to elaborate on ways and means to reduce GHG emissions and loss of biodiversity due to LUC. In order to reduce the impacts of land use change on climate change, land use expansion should not be uncontrolled but subject to a land use planning strategy that accounts for land use change emissions. An effective protection of areas with high carbon stocks can only be realized if the agricultural expansion in a region is managed and directed in a way that only areas with small carbon stocks are converted to agricultural land. Such land use planning is only possible if areas with high carbon stocks are known and identified. Therefore the mapping of carbon stocks in areas of agricultural expansion is essential and will be one main objective of this project. Project activities are carried out in Brazil, Colombia, and Indonesia.

Furthermore, for the construction of effective national and international policy instruments which aim to reduce land use change in sensitive areas, the economic drivers of land use change dynamics need to be known. Thus, another project contribution will be a detailed analysis of economic land use change and deforestation driving factors based on geographically explicit data of the study regions.

More information on the project is available here.

Large-Scale Land Acquisition and Sustainable Development

Increasing globalisation did not only lead to the development of global markets for agricultural commodities but also for agricultural land or production locations. In times of accelerating climate change, a growing world population, expanding pressure on land due to urbanisation and industrialisation, an increasing production of non-food products suchas biomass and rising prices for agricultural products in general it is no surprise that agricultural land is seen as a valuable investment. The phenomenon of so-called „landgrab“ has lately received considerable media attention. The term encompasses public and private investment in purchase or (long-term) lease of large-scale agricultural land in Africa, East Europe, Central and South East Asia. The economical, ecological and social consequences of such investments are a matter of dispute. On the one hand agricultural policy has been neglected in some of the affected countries. Thus there is a high demand for investment, which cannot be covered by the countries themselves. On the other hand, target countries are frequently affected by insecure food supply and political instability. Hence it is possible that land acquisition contracts will disadvantage the local population. Furthermore, the productivity of the agricultural land is influenced by the respective landuse. Unsustainable usage can lead to erosion, increasing greenhouse gas emissions, a negative impact on water supplies and further negative consequences.

The inter-disciplinary research-project aims at analysing the economical, legal and ethical aspects of large-scale land acquisitions and their consequences for a sustainable economical, ecological and social development in the target countries. In our field studies in Africa we will research the consequences of these land acquisition based on interviews with various relevant stakeholders and affected groups. On a theoretical level we will analytically compare the effects of large-scale land acquisitions with the effects of traditional forms of foreign direct investment. This analysis leads to ethical questions which must be analysed for all affected groups and stakeholders from a short and long term perspective respectively. The results of our economical, legal and ethical research will enable us to develop a proposal for multilateral governance structures for sustainable land acquisitions.

Further information on the projects is available here .

Arslan, A., Khalilian, S., Lange, M. (2011). Dealing with the Race for Agricultural Land. Kiel Policy Brief, Nb.31.