Evaluating the spatial coherence of composite indexes of land degradation at small administrative units

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F86652079%3A_____%2F23%3A00575275" target="_blank" >RIV/86652079:_____/23:00575275 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195925523001920?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195925523001920?via%3Dihub</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2023.107226" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.eiar.2023.107226</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Evaluating the spatial coherence of composite indexes of land degradation at small administrative units

Original language description

In light of the 'zero-net land degradation strategy', the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) guidelines for policy-relevant indicators of land quality, have stressed the importance of comparable indexes' informative value across spatial scales. However, the proliferation of composite indexes of land sensi-tivity, vulnerability, or exposure to desertification risk, has been occasionally grounded on a systematization of theoretical concepts both in advanced economies and in emerging countries. Rationalization of the operational approaches to land degradation assessment implies a (spatially explicit) comparison and verification of their outcomes at different (policy-relevant) spatial scales. To answer this issue, we implemented a statistical approach evaluating the coherence and reliability of four composite indexes of land degradation (ES3, ES4, LVI, DSI), with a practical application for Italy, a Mediterranean country classified as 'affected' by UNCCD. Using (municipal) administrative units as the elementary analysis' domain, sequential econometric techniques were used to test the internal (spatially explicit) coherence of the four composite indexes, and the role of information redundancy, for calibration of local-scale land degradation strategies. The outcomes of spatial regressions documented the po-tential of the four indexes in a short-term assessment of land vulnerability, confirming that such indexes provided a coherent ranking of Italian municipalities based on their intrinsic degree of land degradation. Principal Component Analysis documented the superior informative power of the ES4 index and confirms the appropri-ateness of an extensive use of the Environmentally Sensitive Area Index (ESAI) at small spatial scales. The proposed framework supports the creation of an index dashboard to monitoring complex environmental phenomena.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10511 - Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7)

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2023

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Environmental Impact Assessment Review

ISSN

0195-9255

e-ISSN

1873-6432

Volume of the periodical

103

Issue of the periodical within the volume

NOV

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

14

Pages from-to

107226

UT code for WoS article

001054943600001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85166910214