COP17 opens in Mongolia to tackle global land degradation

UN land summit convenes in Mongolia

The 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification opened Monday in Ulaanbaatar for two weeks of negotiations themed "Restoring Land, Restoring Hope," marking the first time the Rio Convention institution has convened in East Asia and coming to a nation where desertification already affects 77% of territory, according to UNCCD figures. Delegations from 197 parties — 196 countries plus the European Union — are attending alongside ministers, scientists, Indigenous representatives and pastoralists to advance frameworks linking environmental protection with rural development, land management and drought resilience, distinct from parallel climate talks focusing on greenhouse gas emissions.

Drought protocol faces resistance

African negotiators, supported by Saudi Arabia and small island states, have renewed demands for a legally binding drought management protocol at COP17 after the proposal stalled at December's Riyadh summit over opposition from the United States, the European Union, Australia and several Latin American countries concerned about implementation costs, delegates said. The African Group of Negotiators argues that drought-vulnerable states in the Sahel and elsewhere carry minimal responsibility for the crisis but face disproportionate displacement risks as arable land shrinks, while wealthier nations have resisted financing commitments that could establish dedicated drought response mechanisms, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

Degradation threatens billions worldwide

The UNCCD estimates that 1.3 billion people face direct exposure to land degradation, with nearly 40% of Earth's surface already degraded and drought incidents increasing by one-third since 2000, undermining food production and water availability across rangelands that cover more than half the planet and support approximately 2 billion people while providing 70% of global livestock feed. Without intervention, projections indicate that nearly 16 million square kilometers of land — an area roughly the size of South America — could face degradation by 2050, potentially driving migration and instability as falling agricultural productivity threatens incomes and competition intensifies over scarce natural resources.

Financing gaps persist

The Ulaanbaatar agenda centers on translating the Riyadh Action Agenda's $12.15 billion drought resilience pledge and its target to restore 1.5 billion hectares by 2030 into concrete projects, though the UNCCD estimates at least $2.6 trillion in investment is needed by decade's end to restore more than one billion hectares and build adequate resilience. A ministerial dialogue on restoring rangelands and improving pastoralist well-being is scheduled for August 26, coinciding with the UN International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, as host Mongolia — which has committed 1% of GDP annually to climate and desertification efforts and launched a "Billion Trees" campaign — seeks to position itself as a model for large-scale land restoration initiatives.