An International Workshop was held to consider land degradation in drylands and its management, particularly as it relates to carbon management as a means to combat global warming. Twenty specialists from nine countries met in Nairobi for 5 days in September 1995 to discuss: • Dryland resources - their extent and condition • Management options for drylands • Linking drylands and their management in global climate particularly as related to carbon emissions and storage in drylands; and • the question of whether burners of fossil fuel can be interested in dryland management/anti-desertification measures would be interested in implementing biotic offset programmes.