Preprint on a Policy roadmap for sustainable and just land systems

Our just uploaded preprint, led by colleague Rachael Garrett, this is a product from a GLP initiative to contribute to policy and political reflection about how to improve sustainability and justice in land systems, see more here and below

Preprint here

Land systems are the nexus of many global sustainability and justice challenges. Despite increased understanding of the plural values, inequities, complexity, and politics that make managing land systems challenging, there has been insufficient innovation in policies to address land system sustainability. Here we lay out a roadmap for actors working at the science-policy interface that embraces advances in our understanding of land systems and environmental governance. The first two steps-embrace plural values (Step 1) and address systemic issues (S2)-focus on reexamining the goals and direction of policies, overcoming paradigms that have locked in a limited set of unsuccessful policy levers. The next two steps-listen to and recognize stake-and rights-holders (S3) and co-design policies and implementation mechanisms (S4)-focus on improving land system justice. Next, ensure clarity and adaptability (S5) and take an integrative scope (S6) are steps focused on improving land system sustainability in the context of complexity. Finally, foresee and mitigate political resistance (S7) calls for policy sequencing approaches that acknowledge power relations, competing demands, and path dependencies. By following these steps, policy can steer land systems towards new pathways that achieve greater sustainability and justice.