Scoping and Status Study on Land and Conflict (English 2016)

The global population is facing a range of large-scale challenges, which create increased competition and conflict over land at the transnational, national, subnational, local and family levels. This will increase over the next decades. By 2050 the world’s population will grow to around 9.6 billion people, with a population growth rate of 1 billion every 12 years. Already more than 50 per cent live in urban areas. All these people will need access to land and have to be fed in a sustainable way. The impact of this growth will be the greatest in the developing world, and particularly in Africa, where large-scale urbanization is expected. In 2010, 40 per cent of the population in developing countries was under 15 and young people (15-24 years) account for another 20 per cent. Young people are the least likely to have secure tenure (UN-Habitat/GLTN) and are a key vulnerable group. They are also the most likely to engage in conflict.