COP17: UN land conference begins in Mongolia to accelerate global action on restoration

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia:- The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, UNCCD COP17, began today in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, with delegates from 196 countries and the European Union taking part.

The two-week conference will focus on practical measures to combat land degradation and desertification, strengthen drought resilience and mobilize investment for land restoration. Governments, financial institutions, businesses, scientists and civil society representatives will discuss issues including drought, rangelands, agricultural land and soils, resource mobilization, private-sector engagement and the future strategic direction of the Convention.

Land degradation and drought are estimated to cost the global economy nearly 900 billion US dollars every year and affect up to 40 percent of the world’s land and 3.2 billion people. Droughts have increased by nearly one-third since 2000 and cause annual losses of at least 300 billion dollars.

Addressing the opening session, Mongolian Prime Minister N. Uchral called for a shift from commitments to measurable action. He stressed the need to treat land, climate and biodiversity as interconnected challenges, increase investment in land restoration, strengthen drought resilience and place the knowledge of herders and local communities at the centre of land management policies.

UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad said COP17 must be a conference of implementation, stressing that the world already has solutions but needs to take them to scale through political leadership, investment and partnerships.

“COP17 must therefore be a COP of implementation. The world does not lack solutions; the challenge is taking them to scale. Ulaanbaatar must mobilize the political leadership, investment and partnerships needed to move from commitments to measurable results on the ground. Restoring land is not simply an environmental obligation—it is an investment in people, stability and resilience. 

“At a time when multilateralism is being tested, COP17 is also an opportunity to show that countries can work together to deliver practical solutions that improve people’s lives. Our measure of success will not simply be the decisions we adopt, but the change those decisions unlock for communities, economies and landscapes around the world and ability to mainstream land in new development sectors to prevent its future degradation” she added.

For Mongolia, the issue is particularly important, with nearly 77 percent of its land estimated to be degraded. Pastoralism supports the livelihoods of about one in three Mongolians. Severe droughts followed by harsh dzud winters in 2023 and 2024 resulted in the loss of more than seven million livestock, highlighting the vulnerability of dryland communities.

A major focus of COP17 will be strengthening drought resilience. More than 70 countries have now developed national drought plans, compared with only three in 2013. Parties will discuss early warning systems, vulnerability assessments, preparedness and international cooperation, along with new financing and partnership mechanisms.

Finance will also be a key priority. Around 355 billion dollars is estimated to be needed every year to combat land degradation and drought, while current investment is only about 77 billion dollars, leaving an annual financing gap of approximately 278 billion dollars. COP17 will explore ways to increase both public and private investment and encourage greater participation by businesses and financial institutions.

Rangelands will receive special attention during the conference, coinciding with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. Rangelands cover about 54 percent of the Earth’s land surface and support the livelihoods of around two billion people, including nearly 500 million pastoralists. They provide about one-sixth of the world’s food and around 70 percent of livestock feed.

Governments are expected to consider a new policy framework on rangelands and pastoralists and launch the Rangelands Flagship Initiative to promote long-term investment in sustainable rangeland management and strengthen pastoral livelihoods.

The opening of COP17 also marks the conclusion of the UNCCD Silk Road Caravan, a multi-country journey across Eurasia that brought together governments, scientists, pastoralists, local communities and young people to showcase practical approaches to land restoration, sustainable rangeland management and drought resilience.

As the first of the three Rio Convention COPs being held in 2026, COP17 is also expected to strengthen cooperation on land degradation, biodiversity loss, climate change, food security and water resilience.