Global Forum on Salinization and Climate Change

The Global Forum on Salinization and Climate Change will be co-hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and the University of Valencia. The Forum will constitute an opportunity to discuss, from a multi-disciplinary perspective, the problems associated with salinization and climate change.  

Salinization is a problem long being associated to agriculture, both as a constraint and as the result of inappropriate practices. In addition, agriculture intensification, as well as changes in temperature and precipitation patterns expected from climate change, are likely to further affect the salt-water balance of fragile ecosystems.

Information on the relations between climate change, salt affected habitats and salinization processes is scattered. There is a need to have a better picture of which are the most affected or vulnerable areas and promote practices that can be used to adapt agricultural production in fragile areas to climate change. This will contribute to food security and reducing stress on ecosystems.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Universidad de Valencia, together with several sponsors, are convening aGlobal Forum on Salinization and Climate Change. The Forum will be hosted by the Universidad de Valencia and Spanish authorities, in Valencia, Spain, from the 25 to 29 October 2010.

The Forum will constitute an opportunity to discuss, from a multi-disciplinary perspective, the problems associated with salinization and climate change and will strengthen the dialogue between policy makers, scientists and field experts. We are calling for soil, water, agriculture and biodiversity experts and institutions, environment and agriculture ministries, private sector and regional and international organizations dealing with salinization or climate change.

The forum will have a mixed format: the scientific basis for different thematic areas will be presented and discussed during the mornings, while there will be time for economic and policy considerations during the afternoons, providing opportunities for interaction between policy makers, scientists and field experts.

The official language of the GFSCC2010 will be English.