Caux Dialogue 2013 and 2014

Mar 10, 2014 | Land Lives Peace

Six to ten inches of topsoil is all that lies between humanity and extinction. Yet every year more than 30 billion tons of it is blown and washed away worldwide, while an area three times the size of Switzerland is completely lost to agriculture. As land is lost and population grows, conflict increases, especially between pastoralists and farmers. Eighty per cent of the world's conflicts now take place in its drylands, and countries under particular pressure risk becoming failed states. The stability of nations ultimately depends on the stability of their soils.

Fortunately, unlike so many environmental crises, this one is reversible at relatively little cost. Revegetating bare land is also one of the most effective ways of retaining water and of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thus mitigating climate change.

Organised by Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace, in collaboration with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Caux Dialogue on Land and Security will bring together senior figures from public, private and non-profit sectors, as well as young professionals and grass-roots activists, in conference formats which foster open enquiry, trust and community.

Event programme to include:

Keynote speeches and interactive panels

In-depth workshops for case studies and presentations

Some of the latest films about land restoration and trust-building

Time for relaxation and networking, including an 'initiatives fair'

It aims to:

Explore and promote best practice and holistic approaches to land restoration

• Bring new stakeholders into the process and encourage partnerships

• Demonstrate and make better known what is already being achieved

• Help develop efforts to enshrine the restoration of dry and degraded land in the new Sustainable Development Goals

Since the end of World War II, the Caux conference centre (www.caux.ch) at Caux, Switzerland has belonged to Initiatives of Change (www.iofc.org). It has a proud heritage, reconciling war-time enemies, helping to achieve independence from colonial rule without bloodshed, building trust within industries and between divided communities.

In the last six years, through its focus on human security, Caux has become known for its holistic approach to development, peace and environmental issues, and as a humanitarian meeting place of people from many backgrounds and disciplines, where trust and mutual understanding flourish.

The second Caux Dialogue on Land and Security takes place from 30 June to 4 July.

For more information contact land@iofc.org or visit www.landlivespeace.org