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Abstract: Efforts to control aeolian desertification in China have focused on the arid and semiarid regions. However, the direct dust emission rates, sediment characteristics and local-scale controls, as well as the measures needed to combat desertification, remain poorly understood in northwest Shanxi Province. Aeolian desertification is regarded as an obstacle to local sustainable socioeconomic development. This paper investigated changes in aeolian desertification between 1975 and 2010 on the northwestern Shanxi Plateau. In this study, remote sensing images were used to classify land suffering from aeolian desertification into four categories: light, moderate, severe, and extremely severe. To evaluate the evolution and status of aeolian desertification as well as its causes, we interpreted and analyzed Landsat multi-spectral scanner (MSS) image (acquired in 1975) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images (acquired in 1991, 2000, 2006, and 2010) as well as meteorological and socioeconomic data. Results revealed 11,866km2, 13,362km2, 14,051km2, 13,613km2, and 12,318km2 of aeolian desertified land (ADL) in the above 5 periods, respectively. The spatial dynamics and patterns showed two stages: expansion during 1975–2000 at a rate of 87.37km2 a−1, and spatial transfer of affected areas during 2000–2010 with a net decrease of 173.27km2 a−1. During the evolution of aeolian desertification, areas of moderate ADL had the greatest dynamic response (11.45%). The factors controlling ADL dynamics were analyzed from the perspectives of two groups of factors: natural factors and human activities. Our results indicated that the climate-dominated natural factors contribute greatly to the occurrence and development of ADL. However, they are not the fundamental causes of its development. The human factors are the primary and direct driving forces responsible for the increase in ADL area. More thorough quantitative analysis, with more frequent remotely sensed data is needed to assess the driving forces in more detail. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The recent assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has emphasized that understanding the institutional context in which policies are made and implemented is critical to define sustainable development paths from a climate change perspective. Nevertheless, while the importance of social, political and cultural factors is getting more recognition in some parts of the world, little is known about the human dimensions or the contexts in which they operate in the affluent oil economies of the Arabian Peninsula. Policies that implicitly subsidize or support a wasteful and environmentally destructive use of resources are still pervasive, while noteworthy environmental improvements still face formidable political and institutional constraints to the adaptation of the necessary far reaching and multisectoral approach. The principal aim of this paper is to identify some of the major shortcomings within the special context of the Arab Gulf states'' socio-cultural environment in support of appropriate development pathways. Conclusions highlight that past and current policy recommendations for mitigating environmental threats are likely to be ineffective. This is because they are based on the unverified assumption that Western-derived standards of conduct, specifically the normative concept of ”good governance” and ”democracy”, will be adopted in non-Western politico-cultural contexts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Sustainable living in arid lands is the goal of many, including local residents, policy-makers and scientists. Research into desertification and climate change has the potential to significantly enhance livelihoods of resident people. It also has the potential to contribute to their capacity for risk reduction, improved natural resources management and adaptation to climatic and other changes in multi-stressor systems. This potential is not frequently realised. To effectively ensure that scientific insights and contemporary technologies are applied, active involvement of and feedback from those who apply and use the benefits offered by science and technology are required. Scientists and technologists have to address the diverse, mainly non-technical, aspects required to understand and cope with endemic climate variability, desertification and climate change. They need to appropriately tailor their approaches to disseminate results, and communicate their findings in a way that can be understood and readily implemented by policy-makers, politicians and communities. At the same time, they must learn from experiences gained through implementation by users at all levels. The challenges of making the necessary connections between the combinatory effects of desertification and climate change and their effective application are explored and tested. It was found that several key factors contribute to making the necessary connections to facilitate application on all levels of research advances. These include translation, information dissemination, communication, communication platforms, boundary organisations and leadership contributing to knowledge, motivation and capacity. The purpose of this paper is to assess research experiences from integrated land and water resource management, the application of renewable energy and energy efficiency, and local-level monitoring of natural resources and their application to the challenges of desertification and climate change. The conclusion of this assessment is the identification and description of a common framework that can be applied to address the challenges of desertification and climate change. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper presents results on the use of NOAA AVHRR data for desertification monitoring on a regional–global level. It is based on processing of the GIMMS 8 km global NDVI data set. Time series of annually integrated and standardized annual NDVI anomalies were generated and compared with a corresponding rainfall data set (1981–2003). The regions studied include the Mediterranean basin, the Sahel from the Atlantic to the Red Sea, major parts of the drylands of Southern Africa, China–Mongolia and the drylands of South America, i.e. important parts of the desertification prone drylands of the world. It is concluded that the suggested methodology is a robust and reliable way to assess and monitor vegetation trends and related desertification on a regional–global scale. A strong general relationship between NDVI and rainfall over time is demonstrated for considerable parts of the drylands. The results of performed trend analysis cannot be used to verify any systematic generic land degradation/desertification trend at the regional–global level. On the contrary, a “greening-up” seems to be evident over large regions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents the development of a system dynamic model to simulate and analyze desertification. The human–environment coupled model integrates socio-economic drivers with bio-physical drivers of biomass production, land degradation and desertification. It is based on the UN and GEF definitions of desertification. It illustrates the concept of desertification through differential equation and simulation output graphics. It is supplemented with a causal loop diagram demonstrating the existing feed-back mechanisms. The model relates population pressure and dynamics over time to the growth and availability of biomass resources. The human population stock is described as a function of growth rate, death rate and resources dependent in and out migration of people. The relative growth rate of the stock of resources is modeled as a function of climate and exploitation pressure affecting soil erosion and water availability. The model is applied for the Sahelian desertification syndrome using input data to illustrate and simulate a 150 years period (1900–2050) in Kordofan, Sudan. The model indicates that it is difficult to generate irreversible desertification. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The 2007 edition of the Global Change Research Workshops brought over 50 researchers from all over the world to Wengen, Switzerland to review the state of the art with respect to desertification, particularly in the light of climate change. They set out to identify critical knowledge gaps and make recommendations for further research from a wide range of perspectives in both the natural and social sciences. Recent achievements both within discipline and new inter-disciplinary areas were highlighted. Effective communication between the researchers and high-level users of synthetic environmental information, such as international agencies, development programmes and concerned organizations operating in the field was emphasised. This introductory paper provides background to the workshop and highlights the key findings and outcomes of the conference. The findings that emerged from those discussions are summarized, and some further thoughts about recommended next steps are provided. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]