Climate change and the resulting land degradation reveal the need to intervene decisively through green economies and policies aimed at preserving the ecosystem and the quality of life of the population. This calls for different actions on natural resources, especially on sustainable soil management. It also demands more knowledge and sound financial management of the resources allocated to address this problem.

The studies referenced in this e-newsletter provide the rigor of scientific analysis to guide the establishment of public policies as a significant step in combating land degradation caused by climate change. Desertification and drought are not a matter only of loss of productive soils, but also of fighting poverty and ensuring food security for millions of people worldwide. This e-Newsletter of EUROCLIMA presents an introduction to this problem in Latin America as well as actions undertaken in the region that give some confidence in the face of the intimidating projections.

We are grateful to four researchers from the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC, Italy) for their articles on pages 1 to 7: Paulo Barbosa, Hugo Carrão, Michael Cherlet and Ciro Gardi. See the credits on page 10.