Responsible land tenure governance in relation to land degradation neutrality: A research synthesis

Abstract Land degradation neutrality (LDN), introduced by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, seeks to balance ongoing land degradation with restoration efforts to maintain ecosystem function and productivity. However, achieving LDN targets remains challenging without responsible land tenure governance. Secure and equitable tenure is fundamental to incentivizing sustainable land management, yet governance gaps remain a major barrier. The Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT), which provide internationally recognized principles for secure and equitable land tenure, support the realization of LDN by promoting tenure security, especially for marginalized groups, and directly support Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15.3, which aspires to a land degradation‐neutral world by 2030. Despite these synergies, the relationship between tenure security and sustainable land management for achieving LDN is still underexplored. This study addresses the gap by synthesizing global and regional literature and developing a holistic conceptual framework linking land governance and LDN. A systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, covering publications from 2006 to 2024 and with the literature search carried out from the beginning of March to mid‐April 2025, primarily sourced from Wiley Online Library, Taylor & Francis, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, FAO, and other sources. From 98 identified publications, 31 were selected as relevant. Trend analysis shows an increasing focus on tenure security for LDN, particularly from 2017 to 2022, reflecting growing recognition of governance as a critical factor. However, weak institutional capacity and lack of context‐specific policy adaptation continue to undermine progress, especially in developing countries. The proposed framework is structured around three interlinked pillars: legal clarity, institutional capacity, and participatory frameworks that collectively strengthen tenure security and support LDN outcomes. This study contributes to international discourse by linking land governance and environmental sustainability and underscores the need for locally grounded, interdisciplinary approaches to achieve LDN.