{"title":"Assessing the impacts of farmland use transition on the food–water–energy–pollution nexus in grain production: An integrated simulation framework","authors":"Xiaoxing Qi , Qiaoyuan Huang , Yinting Zheng , Wei Zheng , Wenhua Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107936","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107936","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Farmland use transition in developing countries, characterized by concurrent shifts in dominant and recessive morphologies, profoundly reshapes the food-water-energy-pollution (FWEP) nexus in grain production. Yet, integrated assessment remains limited by methodological gaps between spatial and behavioral simulations. This study bridges this divide by developing a PLUS-ABM framework that couples high-resolution land-use change modeling (PLUS) with agent-based decision simulation (ABM). We apply the framework to Taojiang County, China—a representative grain-producing region undergoing rapid farmland use transition. The results reveal significant farmland contraction and eastward spatial shifts driven by urbanization. Agent-based simulations indicate accelerating land concentration, with large-scale operators controlling 58% of farmland by 2023 and expected to expand further. FWEP assessments reveal scale-dependent trade-offs: medium-scale farms achieve the optimal FWEP balance (high yield, moderate energy and water use, low pollution), whereas large-scale operations experience 3.2–6.8% yield penalties, 9.4–11.3% higher energy costs, and significantly elevated pollution despite gains in water efficiency. Projections indicate a worsening of the FWEP paradox (declining yields and elevated environmental burdens) under current transition pathways, primarily due to the expansion of large-scale farming. We argue that current misaligned, area-based subsidies exacerbate these trade-offs by incentivizing suboptimal farm scales. Policy reforms should shift toward performance-based compensation, prioritizing FWEP-optimized medium-scale operations and eco-oriented interest-based farmers, while establishing strict ecological constraints for large holdings. This integrated approach offers actionable pathways for aligning farmland transitions with sustainable resource governance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17933,"journal":{"name":"Land Use Policy","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 107936"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146000529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Land Use PolicyPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107956
Katarzyna Rędzińska, Magdalena Krawczyk
{"title":"Urban ecosystems’ fragmentation as an ecological measure of urbanization quality in shrinking cities","authors":"Katarzyna Rędzińska, Magdalena Krawczyk","doi":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107956","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107956","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urbanization quality assessment requires a multidimensional approach encompassing socioeconomic, spatial, environmental, and governance factors. However, existing methodologies often overlook ecological implications—an aspect particularly vital in shrinking cities with a high proportion of areas covered by vegetation and water. This study examines the impact of socioeconomic changes and two planning system transformations on urban ecosystem fragmentation in post-socialist Poland, focusing on four medium-sized cities in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship. A novel assessment framework is tested that integrates ecosystem fragmentation as a measure of urban natural system (UNS) structure, order, and distribution. The methodology includes satellite data extraction, supervised classification, land cover change analysis, spatiotemporal fragmentation assessment, and analysis of relationships between urban demographic trends and ecosystem fragmentation to identify patterns of uncontrolled urbanization. An urbanization quality assessment is provided. The findings reveal that, despite demographic decline, urban expansion persisted, intensifying ecosystem fragmentation. Urbanization occurred both within and beyond areas covered by Local Development Plans, exposing weaknesses in planning instruments and urban ecosystem policies. Croplands and grasslands emerged as the most vulnerable to fragmentation. Incorporating ecosystem fragmentation into the urbanization quality evaluation procedure significantly influenced assessment outcomes. The results indicate that shrinking cities failed to capitalize on population decline by developing coherent urban ecosystem networks. Instead, spatial chaos persisted, suggesting that EU accession and planning reforms did not effectively mitigate the negative consequences of neoliberal urbanization. The proposed framework enhances urbanization quality assessment by integrating ecosystem fragmentation and offers a globally applicable tool for sustainable urban planning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17933,"journal":{"name":"Land Use Policy","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 107956"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146109868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Land Use PolicyPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107941
Neha Chauhan, Max Kretschmer, Jorge Gustavo Rodriguez Aboytes, Henrik von Wehrden
{"title":"Major determinants of sustainable agriculture practices adoption: A systematic review","authors":"Neha Chauhan, Max Kretschmer, Jorge Gustavo Rodriguez Aboytes, Henrik von Wehrden","doi":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107941","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107941","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite growing innovations and work in the field of sustainable agriculture practices, the adoption of such practices remains low. The increasing global population demands the agricultural systems to produce more food, enough to feed almost 10 billion mouths by 2050. However, despite their recognized benefits, SAP adoption remains limited due to various socio-economic, institutional, and governance-related barriers. This makes it imperative that we understand the determinants of low adoption rate of sustainable agricultural practices and perform necessary changes in current adoption approaches based on the desired requirements. This study conducts a global systematic review to identify the key determinants influencing SAP adoption. A total of 121 studies published between 2000 and 2024, focusing on one of the three determinants: Behavioural, Governance & Institutional, were identified, investigated and reviewed. Using hierarchical cluster analysis and word co-abundance techniques, we categorize these determinants into five clusters: governance support and incentives, household-level demographics, institutional incentivization, farmer perceptions and behaviour, and technological advancements. These clusters help us tackle the determinants in depth by performing a full-text analysis to understand the above-mentioned determinants and identify effective policy and adoption strategies. The findings highlight that financial constraints, lack of institutional support, and limited farmer awareness hinder widespread adoption, while education, market access, and policy interventions serve as enablers. We propose targeted policy recommendations, including financial incentives, farmer education programs, and infrastructure improvements, to promote SAP adoption. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the multi-faceted drivers and barriers to sustainable agriculture, offering insights for policymakers and stakeholders aiming to enhance global agricultural sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17933,"journal":{"name":"Land Use Policy","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 107941"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146006377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Land Use PolicyPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107963
Abdul-Rasheed Amidu , Alirat Olayinka Agboola , Muhammed Bolomope
{"title":"How do key actors and governance structures interact in large-scale land acquisition? An institutional theory perspective","authors":"Abdul-Rasheed Amidu , Alirat Olayinka Agboola , Muhammed Bolomope","doi":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107963","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107963","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs) are frequently promoted as catalysts for investment and economic growth in developing countries. However, prevailing research often overlooks how the clash between formal institutions and traditional, customary land interests shapes equity and justice for local communities. Addressing this gap, this study employs institutional theory to analyse the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) project in Lagos, Nigeria, examining how the interplay of formal and traditional institutions shapes negotiation power and ultimately, investment outcomes. Through a qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with government representatives, international investors, and host communities, the findings reveal a profound institutional misalignment. The regulative pillar, centred on the Land Use Act of 1978, created coercive framework that systematically undervalued land, fostered bureaucratic corruption, and led to grossly inadequate compensation. The normative pillar’s promise of modernisation and jobs was undermined by the absence of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and the failure to honour resettlement and benefit-sharing agreements, which eroded legitimacy and triggered conflict. Most fundamentally, the cultural-cognitive pillar highlights a clash of logics: where communities view land as ancestral and spiritual heritage. The study concludes that sustainable development requires governance reforms that bridge formal and traditional systems by integrating customary norms, rigorously enforcing FPIC, and ensuring procedural transparency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17933,"journal":{"name":"Land Use Policy","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 107963"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146109870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"High-resolution carbon emission patterns in China driven by historical land use change from 1850 to 2015","authors":"Yuanyang Xiao , Jijun Meng , Likai Zhu , Ziyan Han","doi":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107952","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107952","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate quantification of historical carbon emissions from land use changes is essential for assessing carbon sequestration potential and informing carbon neutrality goals. Existing research has significant limitations: studies with long time spans often lack spatial resolution, while those with high spatial resolution cover shorter time periods. To bridge this gap, this study developed a spatially explicit bookkeeping model at a 0.25° × 0.25° resolution, providing high-resolution estimates of carbon emissions from historical land use changes in China from 1850 to 2015. Our results reveal that the total net carbon emissions were 5.3 Pg C from 1850 to 2015. Reclamation (7.2 Pg C) and deforestation (1.6 Pg C) were the primary sources of carbon emissions, while cropland abandonment was the major driver of carbon sequestration (3.7 Pg C). China’s carbon sources were concentrated in three regions: (1) Northeast China and the Huang-Huai Plain (dominated by cropland reclamation); (2) the Sichuan Basin (cropland expansion); and (3) South China and Yunnan province (deforestation of subtropical forests). Significant carbon sinks are found in Northwest China, including the Hexi Corridor, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang. Precipitation was identified as the most influential driver for the spatial pattern of emissions, followed by topographic constraints and economic pressures. Our study underscores the role of the historical land use policies and social environments in influencing carbon emission. The LUC carbon emissions underwent a regime shift in 2012, transitioning from a source to a sink, which was attributable to the benefits of large-scale ecological projects. The research clarifies China’s role in global carbon budgets over long history and provides spatially explicit guidance for land management aligned with carbon neutrality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17933,"journal":{"name":"Land Use Policy","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 107952"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146036466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Land Use PolicyPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107942
An Chen , Suling He , Yuyin Cheng , Jun Ma , Jinliang Wang , Yuncheng Deng , Haichao Xu , Hui Wang
{"title":"Ecological engineering projects significantly enhanced vegetation recovery: A case study from the Jinsha River Basin (Yunnan section), China","authors":"An Chen , Suling He , Yuyin Cheng , Jun Ma , Jinliang Wang , Yuncheng Deng , Haichao Xu , Hui Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107942","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107942","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Jinsha River Basin (JRB) has a good vegetation coverage and plays an important role in maintaining the ecological environment in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. In this study, the effectiveness of ecological engineering implementation in the Yunnan section of the JRB was analysed from the three aspects of fractional vegetation cover (FVC), vegetation restoration potential achievement degree (VRPAD) and ecological land, and residual analysis was used to analyse the effects of ecological engineering and climate on vegetation. The results revealed that: (1) From 1990 to 2023, the interannual FVC and VRPAD were 0.65 and 0.5, respectively, and the growth rates of VFPAD and FVC were 0.32 % and 0.39 %, respectively. (2) The average annual area of ecological land was 82.05 × 10 ³ km², with a mean annual growth rate of 0.04 %, and an overall increase of 1.18 × 10 ³ km². The forestland and wetland areas both tended to increase, whereas the grassland area continued to decrease. (3) Spatially, the area of increased FVC was 70.52 % and the area of decreased FVC was 25.22 %. Compared with the period from 1990 to 2000, the VRPAD from 2000 to 2023 showed a transition from non-significant increase to a significant increase. (4) From 1990 to 2000, the area of vegetation positively affected by ecological engineering accounted for 57.39 %, and the area of vegetation negatively affected by anthropogenic activities accounted for 40.24 %. From 2000 to 2023, the area of vegetation positively affected by ecological engineering accounted for 68.28 %, and the area of vegetation negatively affected by anthropogenic activities accounted for 31.02 %. (4) In areas where vegetation improved, ecological restoration policies promoted the recovery of vegetation, which accounted for the largest area (51.88 %). In areas where vegetation has degraded, anthropogenic activities have led to vegetation degradation, accounting for the largest area (54.21 %). In the future, the influence of natural factors and human activities should be incorporated into the formulation of ecological policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17933,"journal":{"name":"Land Use Policy","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 107942"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146036468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Land Use PolicyPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2025.107872
Cynthia Nneka Olumba
{"title":"Rethinking gender disadvantage: Unpacking gendered constraints to the adoption of sustainable land management practices in southeast Nigeria","authors":"Cynthia Nneka Olumba","doi":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2025.107872","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2025.107872","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sustainable Land Management Practices (SLMPs) are crucial for addressing land degradation, improving agricultural productivity, and enhancing food security. Yet, adoption remains low due to a complex interplay of socio-economic and institutional constraints. While previous research has explored these constraints, there has been limited focus on how gender intersects with household structure to influence the likelihood of experiencing these barriers. This study addresses this gap by investigating whether and how constraints to SLMPs adoption differ between male and female farmers within male-headed households (MHHs) and female-headed households (FHHs). Data was collected from 480 farmers through structured surveys, complemented by qualitative insights from focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Feminist and intersectionality theories underpinned the study’s theoretical framework. Logistic regression analyses revealed three key findings: (i) female farmers in FHHs have significantly higher odds (OR =2.185) of facing economic and financial constraints than those in MHHs; while within MHHs, male farmers are more likely than their female counterparts to experience these constraints (OR = 2.098); (ii) male farmers in MHHs have higher odds (OR = 2.402) of encountering constraints related to SLMPs characteristics than their female counterparts; and (iii) female farmers in FHHs are 62.3 % more likely to experience constraints related to land property rights than those in MHHs. These findings emphasise the unique vulnerabilities faced by female farmers in FHHs and challenge the common assumption that male farmers are always more advantaged in agricultural systems. The study’s insights underscore the need for nuanced, context-sensitive policies to effectively address these barriers and promote SLMPs adoption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17933,"journal":{"name":"Land Use Policy","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 107872"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146032782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Land Use PolicyPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-31DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107957
Yuan Chi , Yubing Qu , Zhiwei Zhang , Zhenhang Liu
{"title":"Dual pathways of human influence on island social-ecological systems: Evidence from China’s Zhoushan Archipelago","authors":"Yuan Chi , Yubing Qu , Zhiwei Zhang , Zhenhang Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107957","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107957","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study characterizes the dual pathways through which human activities shape island social-ecological systems. It offers actionable insights for integrated island management and advances theoretical frameworks for human-land interrelations. China’ s largest archipelago, Zhoushan Archipelago, was employed as the study area, and human activity intensity and social-ecological systems were accurately quantified and spatialized by proposing four new indices. Two pathways of human influence on island social-ecological systems, namely, human interference with ecological health and human assistance to social development, were tracked. Results indicated that ecological health responds sensitively and rapidly to human interference, initially declining sharply and then recovering slightly. Social development showed time-lagged and cumulative responses to human assistance, accelerating after initial slow growth. As human activity intensified, the dominance of human interference first increased and finally decreased while that of human assistance presented an inverse pattern, demonstrating the need for sustained human engagement. Smaller and more isolated islands exhibited higher ecological sensitivity to human interference but lower social responsiveness to human assistance. Overall, human activity has driven the spatial reconfiguration of island social-ecological systems within Zhoushan Archipelago, establishing dual pathways that contribute to the system evolution. The results have provided a theoretical basis for harmonious development of island social-ecological systems and implied the importance of humans in enhancing the systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17933,"journal":{"name":"Land Use Policy","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 107957"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146189384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Land Use PolicyPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-31DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107965
Sinne Borby Ørtenblad , Martin Rudbeck Jepsen , Louis Reymondin , Thibaud Vantalon , Christian Bunn , Tiffany Talsma , Anne Gravsholt Busck
{"title":"Navigating the new EU deforestation regulation in the coffee industry: Challenges and prospects for remote-sensing solutions","authors":"Sinne Borby Ørtenblad , Martin Rudbeck Jepsen , Louis Reymondin , Thibaud Vantalon , Christian Bunn , Tiffany Talsma , Anne Gravsholt Busck","doi":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107965","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107965","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The coffee industry faces a critical juncture with the recent introduction of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). This policy demands stringent traceability and reporting on deforestation risks associated with seven key globally traded commodities based on remote sensing. With a focus on coffee, this paper synthesizes insights from survey results, interviews, and engagement with operators placing coffee on the EU market, and an examination of remote-sensing solutions. The paper articulates the industry's preparedness for EUDR compliance and discusses the way forward. The paper also highlights persistent challenges to accurately mapping tree-crop commodities and agroforestry systems at a global scale, along with the accompanying risk of falsely detecting deforestation related to coffee grown under such systems. This is particularly the case for smallholder-based production and poses a consequent risk of operators abandoning such regions. The results also show that the operators currently have insufficient capabilities for processing remote-sensing data to demonstrate or verify that their product is not sourced from deforested areas. Successful implementation of the EUDR requires solutions that are accessible to the operators and that build community- and operator-level capacity in Remote Sensing and georeferencing. The Terra-i + initiative offers a promising solution that can be tailored to the coffee sector and showcases successful calibration and accurate mapping outcomes. However, it is important to strike an appropriate balance between global expediency and local precision. The paper proposes a standardized bottom-up approach, where global standards are defined collaboratively, yet implementation remains locally led, mitigating risks of misclassification, and ensuring the inclusion of vulnerable smallholder producers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17933,"journal":{"name":"Land Use Policy","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 107965"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146095675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Land Use PolicyPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-19DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107945
Yetimoni Kpeebi , Michael Osei Asibey
{"title":"Customary land tenure and climate land transitions: A justice lens on Ghana’s land governance","authors":"Yetimoni Kpeebi , Michael Osei Asibey","doi":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107945","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.107945","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident in land systems across the Global South. In Ghana where customary tenure governs most of the land, climate-related interventions such as forest conservation and renewable energy projects are reshaping landscapes and power relations. This study evaluates the justice-related consequences of climate-driven land transitions in Ghana, drawing on case studies of a forest conservation program and a solar energy project in different customary settings. Employing a qualitative approach, the study applies a three-lens framework of procedural, distributive, and recognitional justice to assess how customary tenure mediates outcomes. Customary landowners (primarily chiefs/traditional leaders) remain central to land allocation. Still, decision-making was largely symbolic, and benefit-sharing lacked transparency, raising concerns about elite capture and unfair outcomes. The study’s contributions are twofold. First, it brings recognitional justice to the forefront and demonstrates how women, youth, herders, and migrants are not only excluded procedurally but also rendered invisible as legitimate actors and knowledge holders. Second, it demonstrates how climate interventions interact with Ghana’s plural land tenure system, with chiefs and custodians of land shaping all three justice dimensions in ways that affect equity and legitimacy. The study concludes that current land governance practices can potentially exacerbate existing inequalities. It is recommended that policy efforts promote inclusive engagement, transparent benefit-sharing mechanisms, and stronger accountability within both customary and formal institutions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17933,"journal":{"name":"Land Use Policy","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 107945"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146000531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}