Mongolia and UNCCD announce theme for COP17: “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope”

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: Mongolia and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) have officially announced the theme of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UNCCD: “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope.”

The landmark global conference on desertification, land degradation and drought will take place in Ulaanbaatar from 17–28 August 2026.

The theme was unveiled during high-level meetings between the UNCCD and Mongolia’s leadership as preparations intensify for COP17, the first of the three Rio Conventions’ Conferences of the Parties to be held in 2026, followed by the biodiversity and climate change COPs.

“Land is our most vital infrastructure – underpinning food security, water, livelihoods and stability,” said UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad.

“When land fails, insecurity rises through lost livelihoods, forced displacement and competition over scarce resources. With COP17, Mongolia is offering the world a powerful message: Restoring Land, Restoring Hope is not only an environmental agenda, but a development and resilience priority” she said.

Fouad emphasized that as drought intensifies and land degradation accelerates, COP17 must drive practical, investable solutions, from restoring degraded land and soils to strengthening the land–water nexus, so communities can thrive.

Prime Minister of Mongolia Gombojavyn Zandanshatar reaffirmed the country’s commitment to delivering meaningful outcomes. “Mongolia is fully aware of the responsibility that comes with hosting UNCCD COP17, and we are committed to ensuring concrete, action-oriented and lasting results,” he said.

“As a country whose development, livelihoods and cultural heritage are deeply connected to the land, we believe land restoration is a fundamental pillar of peace, sustainable development and inclusive socio-economic growth” he said.

Hosting COP17 during the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, declared by the UN General Assembly and championed by Mongolia, presents a unique opportunity to move from awareness to implementation and investment, particularly for rangelands and pastoralist livelihoods.

COP17 is expected to bring together delegates from 197 Parties to the UNCCD, alongside leaders from government, business and civil society, scientists, youth, Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists and smallholder farmers. Participants will work toward solutions to the interconnected challenges of desertification, land degradation and drought, recognizing that restoring land is essential to reducing instability, preventing displacement and strengthening human and national security.

Globally, land degradation already affects up to 40 per cent of the Earth’s land, threatening food production, water availability, livelihoods and economic stability. Mongolia itself is among the countries most affected, with nearly 77 per cent of its land degraded across its vast territory of 1.56 million square kilometers.

The two-week conference will feature a high-level segment with ministerial dialogues, multistakeholder forums and thematic discussions on science–policy integration, innovation, tools and technologies, and financing. Beyond formal negotiations, COP17 aims to catalyze collective action on rangelands, resilience and water, food systems, and soil health.

In preparation for COP17, Mongolia has launched several national initiatives linking land restoration with livelihoods and rural development. These include the President-led “Billion Trees” National Campaign, launched in 2021 with the goal of planting one billion trees by 2030, as well as expanded youth engagement through initiatives such as the “Youth4Land” National Forum.

The COP17 Presidency is also working with the private sector through the Mongolia Business Council in support of UNCCD’s Business 4 Land Initiative.

“Mongolia’s initiatives illustrate the kind of integrated land restoration and resilience approaches COP17 seeks to advance,” Fouad said. “The Conference aims to build stronger political momentum and deliver practical outcomes that help countries mobilize resources, strengthen partnerships and scale up land restoration where it is needed most.”