Page 39 - Çevre Şehir ve İklim Dergisi İngilizce - Özel Sayı

Zeynep Cansu Ayturan - Tuğba Dinçbaş
Halil Hasar

Strategic Approaches in Türkiye’s Combat against Desertification:

1. Improvement of Affected Ecosystems: It is targeted to promote
sustainable land management, combat desertification and enhance
the resilience of ecosystems. This goal ensures that land productivity is
enhanced and the vulnerabilities of ecosystems are minimised.
2. Improving the Living Conditions of the Affected Population: It is aimed to
improve the livelihoods and living conditions of people in areas affected
by desertification. In this scope, basic needs such as food security and
access to water will be strengthened, while the participation of women
and young people in decision-making processes will be promoted.
3. Reducing the Impacts of Drought: Adaptation and management
strategies will be implemented in order to increase the resilience of
vulnerable ecosystems and populations to drought. The vulnerabilities
of ecosystems will be reduced in the combat against drought through
water and land management applications.
4. Providing Global Benefits: Türkiye’s sustainable land management
and efforts to combat desertification will contribute to the protection
of biodiversity, the fight against climate change and the creation of
synergies with other environmental agreements.
5. Mobilization of Resources and Cooperation: It is aimed to boost
financial and technical resources in the combat against desertification.
Türkiye will share its experience and knowledge with other countries
by pioneering cooperation at bilateral and regional levels, and also
increase its effectiveness at the international level.
6. Monitoring and Improvement of Soil Health: In order to prevent land
degradation and enhance the carbon sink capacity, it is required to
regularly monitor and improve the biophysical properties of the soil. In
particular, the preservation of the organic matter content of the soil in
the combat against desertification is vital for sustainable land use.
7. Nature-Based Solutions: Nature-based solutions can be used within
the framework of preventing desertification and increasing land
productivity. These solutions mitigate the effects of desertification
through afforestation, sustainable agriculture and the protection of
natural water cycles by raising the resilience of ecosystems.
8. Drought Early Warning Systems: The establishment of drought
early warning systems will allow identifying the areas exposed to
desertification in advance and taking the required measures.

26 Journal of Environment, Urban and Climate