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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDEnvironmental science and ecotechnology

Global land consolidation deepens biodiversity and social deficits despite economic gains

  • Xiuli Luo1
  • Xiaojie Liu2
  • Xiaobin Jin2
  • Bo Han2
  • Daniel Rodriguez3
  1. 1School of Public Administration & Law, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
  2. 2School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
  3. 3Centre for Crop Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, 4343, Australia
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Abstract

Land consolidation is widely promoted as a valuable structural tool for sustainable intensification. Yet while policy frameworks celebrate its potential for rural revitalization, empirical assessments remain heavily siloed within single dimensions, obscuring critical trade-offs and synergies that govern real-world outcomes. Here we show, through a global synthesis of 148 cases across 28 countries, that land consolidation yields consistent economic gains as well as concerning ecological and social deficits. Sixty-five percent of cases assess outcomes within a single dimension, while fewer cases capture synergies or trade-offs across multiple dimensions. Economic benefits predominate, but negative environmental and social outcomes are also prevalent. Biodiversity is reduced in 81% of the assessed cases, while 57% of the assessed cases document heightened social inequalities, driving acute trade-offs in Life on Land (SDG 15) and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10). Crucially, project architecture appears to dictate these trajectories: programs restricted solely to agricultural intensification are likely to generate single-dimensional gains, whereas integrating ecological conservation into the design increases cross-dimensional synergies from 17% to 42% and curtails trade-offs. These findings demonstrate that land consolidation is not an inherent vehicle for sustainable intensification. Realizing global sustainability targets demands redesigning land consolidation from yield-maximizing towards integrated landscape stewardship that embeds tenure security and targets ecological outcomes from the outset.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{luo2026global,
  title = {{Global land consolidation deepens biodiversity and social deficits despite economic gains}},
  author = {Xiuli Luo and Xiaojie Liu and Xiaobin Jin and Bo Han and Daniel Rodriguez},
  journal = {Environmental science and ecotechnology},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.ese.2026.100778},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13717895},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Global land consolidation deepens biodiversity and social deficits despite economic gains
AU  - Xiuli Luo
AU  - Xiaojie Liu
AU  - Xiaobin Jin
AU  - Bo Han
AU  - Daniel Rodriguez
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/15
JO  - Environmental science and ecotechnology
DO  - 10.1016/j.ese.2026.100778
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13717895
AB  - Land consolidation is widely promoted as a valuable structural tool for sustainable intensification. Yet while policy frameworks celebrate its potential for rural revitalization, empirical assessments remain heavily siloed within single dimensions, obscuring critical trade-offs and synergies that govern real-world outcomes. Here we show, through a global synthesis of 148 cases across 28 countries, that land consolidation yields consistent economic gains as well as concerning ecological and social deficits. Sixty-five percent of cases assess outcomes within a single dimension, while fewer cases capture synergies or trade-offs across multiple dimensions. Economic benefits predominate, but negative environmental and social outcomes are also prevalent. Biodiversity is reduced in 81% of the assessed cases, while 57% of the assessed cases document heightened social inequalities, driving acute trade-offs in Life on Land (SDG 15) and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10). Crucially, project architecture appears to dictate these trajectories: programs restricted solely to agricultural intensification are likely to generate single-dimensional gains, whereas integrating ecological conservation into the design increases cross-dimensional synergies from 17% to 42% and curtails trade-offs. These findings demonstrate that land consolidation is not an inherent vehicle for sustainable intensification. Realizing global sustainability targets demands redesigning land consolidation from yield-maximizing towards integrated landscape stewardship that embeds tenure security and targets ecological outcomes from the outset.
SN  - 2096-9643
SN  - 2666-4984
ER  -