Pursuing Sustainable Land Use in the 21st Century
As we attempt to balance competing demands on a finite resource, the choices we make about land use will fundamentally shape humanity's future on this planet.
Explore the ChallengeImagine a vast natural tapestry stretching across continents—a complex, living skin that breathes, filters, grows, and sustains. This is our land, Earth's terrestrial foundation that quietly supports nearly every aspect of human civilization.
metric tons of soil eroded annually worldwide 2
equivalent cropland needed by 2030 to meet growing demands 6
This isn't just an environmental issue—it's a multidimensional challenge that touches everything from global food security and climate stability to economic prosperity and social equity. The "global land squeeze" is the quiet crisis of our time, as we attempt to balance competing demands on a finite resource 3 .
Land has always been precious, but the 21st century has brought unique pressures that have intensified what scientists now term the "global land squeeze" 3 . This concept describes the increasingly fierce competition between different land uses as we attempt to meet growing human needs while protecting the natural systems that sustain us.
| Demand Category | Key Drivers | Projected Growth by 2030 |
|---|---|---|
| Food Production | Population growth, dietary shifts toward meat consumption | 20% of additional cropland needed 6 |
| Livestock Feed | Increasing demand for animal products | ~70% of additional cropland needed 6 |
| Biofuel Production | Energy security, climate mitigation | ~10% of additional cropland needed 6 |
| Natural Capital | Climate commitments, biodiversity protection | Competing priority for existing land |
What makes this squeeze particularly challenging is that the most suitable land is often desired for multiple uses simultaneously. A single parcel in Brazil might be ideal for soybean cultivation, crucial for carbon sequestration, and vital for endangered species habitat—all at once 6 .
For much of modern history, land management has been characterized by sectoral fragmentation—agriculture experts focused solely on crop yields, foresters on timber production, and conservationists on protecting pristine habitats 1 . This siloed thinking has proven inadequate for addressing the interconnected challenges we now face.
In response, a new paradigm has emerged: landscape approaches 1 . These frameworks recognize that we must simultaneously consider multiple goals—food production, ecosystem health, human wellbeing, and climate resilience—across entire socio-ecological systems rather than individual parcels.
At the heart of sustainable land use lies the concept of multifunctionality—the ability of landscapes to provide multiple benefits simultaneously 4 . Rather than maximizing single functions (like crop yields) at the expense of others, multifunctional landscapes balance economic, social, and environmental goals.
Economic multifunctionality was approximately 1.7 to 1.9 times higher for sustainable management compared to intensive approaches 4 .
Sustainable management enhances ecological multifunctionality, providing multiple ecosystem services simultaneously 4 .
| Management Approach | Key Characteristics | Impact on Multifunctionality |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional Intensive | High chemical inputs, simplified ecosystems | Decreases ecological and economic multifunctionality 4 |
| Sustainable Management | Reduced chemical inputs, maintenance of biodiversity | Enhances ecological and economic multifunctionality 4 |
| Landscape Approach | Multi-stakeholder governance, integrated planning | Addresses sectoral fragmentation; promotes balance 1 |
How can we be sure that sustainable approaches will work under the changing conditions of the 21st century? Scientists at the Global Change Experimental Facility (GCEF) in Germany have created one of the world's most comprehensive field experiments to answer exactly this question 4 .
Years of continuous research (2014-2023)
Experimental plots of approximately 400 m² each
Ecosystem functions measured
The findings from this decade-long investigation provide some of the most compelling evidence to date for the superiority of sustainable approaches. The research team discovered that:
Sustainable management enhanced both ecological and economic multifunctionality across both grassland and cropland systems 4 .
Future climate conditions generally decreased ecological multifunctionality, making sustainable approaches even more crucial for resilience 4 .
Soil biodiversity correlated positively with ecological multifunctionality, suggesting it may be one of the key drivers of multiple ecosystem benefits 4 .
This nuanced finding highlights a critical challenge: the currently prevailing land management provides high multifunctionality for farmers, but not for society at large 4 . This misalignment of incentives represents a major barrier to widespread adoption of sustainable practices.
While experiments like the GCEF study reveal what's possible at the field scale, other researchers have been documenting the sobering reality of current land degradation at a global scale. Using an unprecedentedly high-resolution model (250 × 250 m), an international team has produced startling new estimates of global soil erosion 2 .
of soil eroded annually worldwide 2
in global soil erosion between 2001-2012 2
The research challenged previous assumptions about soil erosion, revealing that:
Perhaps most concerningly, the study noted that technological improvements and increased fertilizer use have masked ongoing soil degradation in recent decades, creating a false sense of security about the health of our land base 2 .
The challenges are significant, but research points to concrete solutions. Analysis by leading organizations suggests that a portfolio of ten key actions could lay the foundation for sustainable land use by 2030 6 .
Convert degraded land to productive use in sustainable ways, which could supply a significant portion of required additional cropland 6 .
Boost yield growth through innovation, particularly by closing yield gaps in developing regions 6 .
Expand trade to increase system resilience and reduce overall land needs 6 .
Reduce food waste, which currently accounts for approximately one-third of all food produced.
Shift consumption patterns toward less land-intensive diets.
Develop innovative alternatives to land-intensive products.
Utilize sustainable offshore and marine resources more effectively 6 .
Strengthen international cooperation to address knowledge and implementation gaps 1 .
Promote actual interdisciplinary integration in research and policy-making 1 .
Incorporate reflexivity in land governance, systematically examining challenges, success factors, and limitations 1 .
Estimated investment needed to convert degraded land at the required scale 6
The evidence is clear: we stand at a pivotal moment in humanity's relationship with the land that sustains us.
The 20th-century model of maximizing single outputs is no longer viable.
We have just six harvest cycles until 2030 to put the foundations in place 6 .
The knowledge and tools exist; what's needed is collective will to implement solutions.
The future of our land—and by extension, our civilization—depends on the choices we make today. The sustainable land systems of the 21st century must be multifunctional, resilient, and equitable, recognizing that we are not separate from nature but fundamentally dependent on its enduring capacity to sustain us all.
Based on the timeline to 2030 for implementing sustainable land transition foundations 6