Linking Land-Change Science and Policy: Current Lessons and Future Integration

Abstract

Human use of the land and oceans is at the center of some of the mostcomplicated and pressing problems faced by policy makers around theworld today (e.g., DeFries et al. 2004b; Platt 2004; Millennium EcosystemAssessment 2005). For the terrestrial biosphere, our need to balancecurrent human needs and longer-term environmental sustainabilityoften involves consideration of the way we use ecosystem goods andservices produced by the land. Land-use is at the center of thesetrade-offs because changes in land use often enhance the share ofenergy, water and nutrients devoted to human needs but decrease theshare available for other species and ecosystem functions. Problemsas far ranging as improving human health or ensuring adequate foodproduction cannot be solved unless policy makers understand how theirpolicies alter land use and how altered land use affects ecosystemfunctions. For example, public health policy that adequately accountsfor the future spread of mosquitoes that carry Plasmodium or malariain the tropics often requires an understanding of the interplay betweenland use and climate (Lines 1995) (see Chap. 4). In China, agriculturalpolicy makers are using a recent assessment of cropland area to createpolicies that ensure there will be enough land to meet China’s rapidlygrowing demand for food, feedgrains, and raw materials that is drivenby rapid economic growth (Welch and Pannell 1982; Yang and Li 2000;Ho and Lin 2004; Lin and Ho 2005), although it is not clear thatother ecosystem services will be maintained in this process.