Climate change, non-sustainable land management and the insufficient
participation of the local population leads to land degradation problems
in parts of the Altai Region, which includes the territory of China,
Kazakhstan, Mongolia and the Russian Federation. This territory is
characterized by mountain and steppe landscapes, high biological
diversity and a high dependency on natural resources. An environmentally
sustainable use of natural resources remains a fundamental foundation
for sustainable economic and social development. The achievement of
ecologically sound land management practices, especially in vulnerable
regions, was identified as a particular important goal for the economic
significance of agricultural production and a predominantly rural
population. So far, in some parts of the region, land use has been
unsustainable over the long term.
This book presents important aspects of environmental security and
sustainable land use in general and in particular for Central Asia,
i.e.: the environmental consequences of climate change; sustainable land
use and regional development; sustainable development in mountain and
steppe regions; beyond borders: Transboundary Biosphere Reserve "Altai"
as an approach for regional development; landscape planning as an
integrative tool for sustainable development; challenges and threats for
environmental stability in Central Asia.
A final recommendation in the area of sustainable development and land
use as well as the proceeding efforts towards the establishment of the
Transboundary Biosphere Reserve "Altai" and the implementation of
landscape planning were set in the book as some of the main results of
the meeting.