Expected start date:

2016•09•01

Expected end date:

2019•08•31

Institute:

UNU Iceland

Project Status:

Ongoing

Project Type:

Capacity development

Project Manager :

Hafdis Aegisdottir

Healthy landscapes and ecosystems are the basis of our life and economy. Yet a quarter of the world’s landmass is severely degraded by human activity. Landscape and ecosystem restoration is a challenge that we can only achieve if scientists, governments and other stakeholders collaborate with businesses in multi-stakeholder partnerships. The ENABLE project creates a space to help businesses building partnerships, and equips leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to implement land restoration approaches based on sustainable business models.

Education is key to creating an integrated approach to combat land and soil degradation. The ENABLE partnership develops a portfolio of online and interactive teaching materials for students and professionals in the field — from business leaders to governmental practitioners.

The main goals of the ENABLE project are to:

• create an inter- and trans-disciplinary educational framework with innovative e-learning components that can bridge the gap between ecology and economy, and help integrate sustainable land management and restoration as part of business activities
• train younger generations and business professionals to work towards an inclusive and sustainable global economy
• strengthen links between academia, research organisations, and businesses to promote excellence and regional development

As one of the partners of the ENABLE project, the UNU Land Restoration Training Programme (UNU-LRT) collaborates with Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University Rotterdam, Commonland Foundation, the Spanish National Research Council, and Estoril Conferences. The project is supported by the Economics of Land Degradation Initiative, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, and International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Commission on Ecosystem Management.

Existing multi-media materials/output:

• https://www.rsm.nl/enable/business4landscapes-our-mooc/
• https://www.coursera.org/learn/landscape-restoration-sustainable-development