Asia Community | Water Knowledge Hub

1 week ago Public

Landmark journey carries momentum from UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh to COP17 in Ulaanbaatar

The news is from UNCCD official website: https://www.unccd.int/news-stories/press-releases/silk-road-caravan-set…

Bonn/Antalya, 13 May 2026 — The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) today launched the Silk Road Caravan in Türkiye, kicking off a journey across Eurasian countries to spotlight rangelands and pastoralist communities on the road from the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) in Riyadh to COP17 in Ulaanbaatar in August 2026.

Supporting the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026, the initiative will highlight the vital role of rangelands in sustaining food and water security, climate stability and economic resilience. It will also champion pastoralism as one of the most sustainable, yet underappreciated, livelihoods — especially in drylands, which make up most of the world’s rangelands and are among the most vulnerable to land degradation.

Following the historic Silk Road, the caravan will bring together pastoralists from various countries, alongside filmmakers and experts, on a unique storytelling journey. Travelling across steppes, deserts, and highland pastures, they will engage with local communities to document solutions rooted in both traditional knowledge and the latest science — sharing these stories with a global audience through social media, the silkroadcaravan.org website and a long-form documentary.

“Rangelands cover more than half of the Earth’s land surface and support billions of people, yet in some regions are disappearing faster than rainforests. The Silk Road Caravan brings these landscapes and their stewards to the forefront of global attention, as we move from UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh to COP17 in Ulaanbaatar with a shared responsibility to restore land, build drought resilience and secure our common future,” said UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad during the launch ceremony in Antalya, Türkiye, alongside representatives of pastoralist communities, participating countries and partners.

As host of the Caravan’s launch, Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of Türkiye Hasan Suver stated: “This meaningful and symbolic journey, stretching from Türkiye to Mongolia, represents a major awareness-raising initiative aimed at promoting the protection of rangelands, sustainable pastoralist livelihoods, and holistic approaches to land management. Beginning in Erzurum on 6 May and continuing through Malatya and Gaziantep before reaching Antalya, the journey highlights the value of rangeland ecosystems across the diverse geographies of our country. Through the field visits, filming, interviews, and meetings with local communities carried out along the way, we have once again seen that rangeland ecosystems are not only natural resources, but also an essential part of cultural heritage, economic resilience, and social sustainability.”

UNCCD Goodwill Ambassador Inna Modja, artist and singer from Mali, who has travelled with the Silk Road Caravan over 1,000 km across Türkiye, said: “I am honoured to join an initiative that brings together cultures, traditions and knowledge shaped by the land. Along this journey, we will carry the voices of pastoral communities across regions, revealing how deeply people and land are connected. I believe the Silk Road Caravan will be a powerful contribution to the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026, helping ensure these communities and landscapes are truly seen, heard and valued.”

Following Türkiye, the Silk Road Caravan will traverse several Eurasian countries, including China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia and Uzbekistan.In addition, countries around the world are encouraged to organize symbolic events in the spirit of the Silk Road Caravan on Desertification and Drought Day, to be observed globally on 17 June under the theme ‘Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore.”’The Caravan's journey will culminate at the UNCCD COP17, which is taking place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 17-28 August 2026.

The Eurasian rangelands (steppes) stretch over 8,000 kilometres from the Black Sea to the Mongolian Plateau and Northeast China, forming the world’s largest contiguous area of grazing land. Comprising one-quarter of global rangelands and over six per cent of the Earth’s total surface area, they are characterized by an arid to semi-arid climate and vast open spaces divided by mountain ranges, where livelihoods are largely dependent on pastoralism.

Road from Riyadh to Ulaanbaatar

Silk Road Caravan builds on the momentum created in 2024 at UNCCD COP16 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where countries adopted the Convention’s first-ever decision on rangelands. The decision urges Parties to prioritize policies and investments for the sustainable management of rangelands — halting their indiscriminate conversion, overexploitation, and fragmentation as well as the marginalization of pastoralists in decisions on land management and tenure security. The journey reflects the continued engagement of the COP16 Presidency, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, whose leadership has helped elevate land and drought as global priorities.

“COP16 marked an important step forward, with countries agreeing for the first time on a dedicated decision to support the sustainable management of rangelands. As COP16 Presidency, we remain committed to maintaining this momentum — working with partners to translate commitments into coordinated action that strengthens resilience and supports livelihoods in rangelands and beyond,” said Ahmed Saleh Al-Ayada, CEO of the Saudi National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification.

UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, will provide the most significant opportunity to date to advance international cooperation on sustainable rangeland management and strengthen frameworks for inclusive governance, with a focus on aligning investments, policies and practices to deliver results at scale.

“We look forward to welcoming the Silk Road Caravan to Ulaanbaatar for COP17, where the voices, experiences and solutions gathered along this journey will help shape global policy discussions. Mongolia is committed to delivering strong outcomes for rangelands — advancing their sustainable management, strengthening the role of pastoral communities, and ensuring decision-makers fully recognize the value of these ecosystems and the people who steward them,” said Uyangaa Enkhtur , Officer at Livestock, Animal Genetics, Resource Policy Implementation and Coordination Department, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Mongolia.

Rangelands are among the world’s most vital yet undervalued ecosystems, supporting around two billion people and providing one-sixth of global food supply as well as most livestock feed. They are also home to a rich diversity of cultures and biodiversity, including nearly a quarter of the world’s languages. Yet up to half of these landscapes are already degraded or at risk, with declining soil fertility, capacity for water retention and carbon storage undermining their productivity and resilience.

More information about the Silk Road Caravan: silkroadcaravan.org

More information about rangelands in Eurasia, Southern Africa and South America:

Communal management of rangelands Community-based natural resources management in Southern Africa
Land use change and rangeland degradation: Mobile pastoralism and silvopastoral solutions in South America
Rangeland health and drought resilience: The promise of sustainable pastoralism in Eurasia
For media enquiries

For accreditation, interview requests, or to join part of the journey, please contact the UNCCD Press Office: press@unccd.int

Photos and videos from the journey are available from: https://trello.com/b/cnDvxXv9/silk-road-caravan

For media enquiries

UNCCD Press Office: press@unccd.int

About UNCCD 

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global vision and voice for land. We unite governments, scientists, policymakers, private sector and communities around a shared vision and global action to restore and manage the world’s land for the sustainability of humanity and the planet. Much more than an international treaty signed by 197 Parties, UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to mitigating today’s impacts of land degradation and advancing tomorrow’s land stewardship in order to provide food, water, shelter and economic opportunity to all people in an equitable and inclusive manner.

About UNCCD COP17

The seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 17–28 August 2026 under the theme ‘Restoring Land, Restoring Hope.’ Delegates from UNCCD’s 197 Parties will join leaders from government, business, civil society, scientists, Indigenous Peoples and local communities to advance action for healthy land as a cornerstone of global resilience, stability and prosperity. As the first of the three Rio Conventions COPs —on land, biodiversity and climate— meeting this year, UNCCD COP17 will set the tone for the rest of 2026 and beyond.

Suyu Liu posted in Asia Community

2 weeks ago Public

Drought in Central Asia becoming a chronic threat, IWMI expert warns
The temperature in the region is rising faster than the global average

The news can be accessed via: https://asiaplus.news/en/2026/05/26/drought-in-central-asia-becoming-a-…

Droughts in Central Asia are becoming increasingly frequent and are turning into a chronic regional challenge driven by climate change, growing water demand, and outdated infrastructure, according to an expert from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Iskandar Abdullayev, a senior researcher at IWMI, made the remarks while commenting on the results of a regional study examining the causes and consequences of drought across Central Asia.

According to him, as part of a World Bank project, a rapid assessment of drought processes was conducted in five Central Asian countries, and the causes and possible solutions at the regional level were also examined.

Abdullayev noted that severe droughts that previously occurred roughly once every decade have become far more frequent since the early 2000s. In recent years, the region has been experiencing drought conditions almost every other year.

“The problem of drought and water scarcity is becoming chronic,” he said, pointing to climate change as the main driver. He explained that changes in precipitation patterns, declining rainfall, and rising temperatures have sharply increased pressure on water resources.

Abdullayev noted that Central Asia is warming faster than the global average and is naturally considered a water-scarce region due to its climatic conditions.

He also highlighted significant changes in river flow patterns. Whereas seasonal water inflow traditionally began in March and lasted until September, low water levels are now being recorded until June.

Among the additional causes of worsening drought conditions, the expert cited outdated irrigation systems, the growing number of water users following agrarian reforms, increasing competition for water resources, deteriorating hydraulic infrastructure, and inefficient water management.

“These factors contribute to hydrological drought, where water resources are either insufficient or distributed ineffectively,” he said.

According to Abdullayev, drought is affecting even the region’s main water-source countries — Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

He said the agricultural sector remains the most vulnerable, particularly irrigated farming, but warned that drought also has serious consequences for livestock production and the energy sector. Water shortages and declining pasture quality are causing losses in animal husbandry, while reduced reservoir levels are limiting hydropower generation.

Abdullayev estimated that economic losses from droughts can amount to as much as 2% of a country’s GDP, with damages expected to grow as droughts become more frequent.

He also drew attention to the rapid melting of glaciers, which serve as natural freshwater reserves. According to the expert, glacier volumes in the region have declined by around 30% compared to the previous century, directly affecting long-term water availability.

To address the crisis, Abdullayev identified three priority areas: establishing early warning systems for drought, improving water conservation across all sectors of the economy, and adapting agriculture to climate change through drought-resistant crops and better pasture management.

He stressed the importance of providing timely information to governments, farmers, and local communities about potential droughts, including their expected scale and duration.

According to the expert, Central Asian countries must accelerate the introduction of water-saving technologies, restore degraded pastures, and gradually shift toward more climate-resilient agricultural practices.

Suyu Liu posted in Asia Community

1 month ago Public

The news is from the Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) Initiative, here is the webpage
https://www.eld-initiative.org/en/news/news-detail/incenption-workshop-…

Inception Workshop held in Mongolia - Economics of Rio Synergies

Lead author and ELD Working Group member Alisher Mirzabaev

Participants during the workshop

The Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) Initiative officially launched country-level activities under its Economics of Rio Synergies project with an inception workshop in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on 21–22 April 2026.

The project aims to strengthen the integrated implementation of the three Rio Conventions — the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) — by applying economic analysis to improve policy coherence, planning, and investment decisions.

Strengthening Economic Foundations for Policy Coherence
The Rio Conventions share interconnected objectives: combating land degradation, conserving biodiversity, and addressing climate change. However, implementation often occurs in parallel policy silos. The Economics of Rio Synergies project seeks to bridge these gaps by:

Applying economic tools to identify synergies and trade-offs
Supporting integrated land use planning frameworks
Aligning national commitments such as NDCs, National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets, and biodiversity strategies
Strengthening evidence-based decision-making through improved data systems
By focusing on the economic case for coordinated action, the project highlights how integrated approaches can generate multiple environmental and socio-economic benefits while increasing cost-effectiveness.

Mongolia as the Starting Point
The inception workshop in Mongolia marked the first national-level engagement under the project. The event brought together representatives from government ministries, research institutions, universities, civil society, and international partners to explore how economic analysis can support more coherent implementation of the Rio Conventions.

Discussions centered on:

Advancing integrated land use planning as a unifying framework
Harmonizing reporting and monitoring systems
Identifying investment opportunities that generate climate, biodiversity, and land restoration co-benefits
Strengthening cross-sector coordination ahead of major international processes
The workshop also contributes to Mongolia’s broader preparations for hosting UNCCD COP17, reinforcing the country’s commitment to sustainable land management and ecosystem restoration.

From Dialogue to Implementation
The inception workshop represents the beginning of a longer-term process. Building on the discussions in Ulaanbaatar, the project will further develop analytical work, policy recommendations, and capacity-building activities tailored to Mongolia’s national priorities.

By placing economics at the center of Rio Convention implementation, the Economics of Rio Synergies project supports governments in translating international commitments into integrated, actionable, and financially viable strategies.

Further country engagements and technical outputs will follow as the project advances.

Project leadership was provided by International Rice Research Institute, with participation from the secretariats and representatives of the Rio Conventions, the Food and Agriculture Organization, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit and Green Gold - Mongolian Rangeland Research Center.

Further information on the ELD Initiative’s work on Rio Synergies is available on our website.

Suyu Liu posted in Asia Community

1 month ago Public

Equitable water systems require recarving the norm landscape

This is an IWMI blog written by Elizabeth Stifel, Sawsan Gharaibeh, and Stephen Fragaszy, on 6 March 2026. The link is: https://www.iwmi.org/blogs/re-carving-the-norm-landscape-for-equitable-…

Norms, like gullies, should be reshaped to protect future water investments.
Think of norms as the landscape of social life. Norms are the unwritten rules that shape how we behave, who holds power, and what counts as “normal.” Once we learn this terrain, we default towards using the same well-worn paths even when those paths are inefficient or unjust. Norms quietly decide whose work is visible, whose knowledge counts and whose risks are treated as inevitable.

Some norms are surface-level, like who speaks first at a community water meeting. Others run deeper: who is expected to fetch water when supplies run low; who controls pumps, land, and repair budgets; whose environmental knowledge is treated as expertise or dismissed as anecdote.

But norms, like landscapes, are also not static. They erode, shift, and re-form across generations. Open dumping became unacceptable. Rainwater harvesting moved from fringe to policy priority. But many norms, especially gender norms, feel timeless, mistaken for biology rather than behaviors we’ve collectively learned and enforced across generations. The expectation that women prioritize caregiving over all else, that men control resources while women manage scarcity, that women should be cooperative, not confrontational. These are not natural laws. They are powerful, persistent and actively harm social constructions. They create uneven terrain in every sphere of life, including access to something as fundamental as water.

Climate resilience fails because harmful social norms act as gullies cutting through a floodplain
Water doesn’t flow evenly across societies. It follows channels carved by gender, class, conflict and power. Harmful norms deepen these channels over generations, steering resources and opportunity along predetermined paths — gullies worn into the social terrain, directing flow away from those who need it most.

When water resilience interventions are designed “upstream” — a new well system, a drought-resistant irrigation program, a watershed management initiative — and released “downstream” without reshaping the terrain beneath them, they flow through the same old gullies. The intervention rushes past women, carving exclusion deeper with each implementation cycle.

Over time, these gullies erode further. What began as a shallow channel becomes a ravine, then something so permanent it seems natural — the way of the world. Entrenched norms become a constant drag on climate resilience efforts, shaping who adopts new practices, how effectively projects are delivered and whether they can ever scale.

Consider drought early-warning systems. Information typically travels through channels women rarely access, such as radios they do not control, meetings held while they are away fetching water, mobile phones registered to husbands. Even when warnings reach them, women may lack the authority to buy food supplies, move livestock, or access emergency credit without a man’s permission. The information arrives too late, or not at all, for those who manage daily water shortages.

Or consider a flood resilience project that hires workers to build retention ponds and drainage systems. Jobs may be announced at times and locations women cannot reach. Work hours may be incompatible with childcare and water collection duties that norms assign exclusively to women. Pay is likely distributed to male heads of household. On paper, women have opportunity. In practice, they cannot access it. And when participation rates disappoint, poorly designed interventions quietly reinscribe the very norm they ignored: that women are not central to climate resilience.

Interventions that ignore gender norms are less effective
Projects that overlook gender norms operate at half-strength. When women cannot fully participate, implementation slows and weakens. Projects lose the knowledge women hold, the labor they could provide, and the trust their engagement would build. Communities may nod along in meetings but change nothing. Initiatives designed without understanding women’s lived realities generate suspicion and superficial compliance.

The consequences cascade. Slow implementation, weak buy-in, and reduced efficiency diminish the impact of interventions and lower returns on climate finance. When investments underperform, funders are less likely to support or scale programs that could otherwise strengthen community resilience. Thus, water resilience remains fragile, and the opportunity to build stronger systems slips further out of reach.

Investing in climate resilience without confronting harmful gender norms is not just incomplete; it is inefficient. The returns available when we target root causes are substantial. According to the What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls program, every €1 spent on preventing gender-based violence can yield up to €87 in economic returns, through reduced healthcare costs, lost productivity and long-term societal drag. Freed resources allow families and communities to better withstand droughts, floods and climate shocks.

Interventions must live and breathe with all the most important people
Climate resilience does not operate only in fields and watersheds. Al Murunah+, a UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)-funded project integrating gender norms into nature-based solutions across the Middle East and North Africa region, links household-level social transformation, diversified community power structures, and more equitable economic arrangements to create the conditions for norm change. Household dialogues — facilitated, structured and deliberately direct — invite families to confront how decisions about water, resources, income, labor and risk are actually made. Economic interventions support women not merely as beneficiaries, but as agents with the capacity to navigate climate risk independently and durably.

A stream that leads to a better floodplain
Harmful gender norms are pervasive, and they fight back. But the same logic that makes negative norms so durable makes positive ones possible. What ultimately persists through well-designed interventions is not physical infrastructure or reporting manuals. It is facilitators who stay committed, institutions willing to sit with discomfort rather than deflect it, and economic pathways flexible enough to bend without breaking.

Building genuine climate resilience means reshaping the landscape itself, filling harmful gullies and opening new channels where resources can flow equitably. The terrain will resist. Gullies don’t fill themselves. But without this work, climate investments will continue rushing through the same old channels, leaving half the population behind, while we wonder why resilience efforts keep falling short.

A small stream can carve damage, but it can also create possibilities. It begins with a trickle. But over time, that trickle deepens, redirects flow, and transforms what is possible. The new paths, carved deliberately and tended patiently, can ultimately become the enduring ones.

Suyu Liu posted in Asia Community

1 month ago Public

South Asia is expected to receive below average monsoon rainfall

See the official link to WMO news article: https://wmo.int/media/news/south-asia-expected-receive-below-average-mo…

30 April 2026
Rainfall is likely to be below normal during the June–September 2026 southwest monsoon season across much of South Asia, with the strongest signal over central regions, according to a new seasonal forecast which will help millions of people prepare.

A few parts of the north-western, north-eastern and southern region are likely to receive normal to above normal rainfall between the May-September monsoon period, according to the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum.

Temperatures – both maximum daytime and minimum overnight ones – are expected to be above normal.

Advance information about the likely performance of the monsoon underpins planning in climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture and renewable energy (hydropower). It also informs risk management and public health strategies – including heat-health action plans - in the world’s most populous region.

Seasonal climate outlooks are one of a suite of products from the World Meteorological Organization community which protect lives and livelihoods, and are worth billions to the international economy. They exemplify the cooperation and data-sharing fostered by WMO to support community and global well-being.

Developing El Niño
The forum, held in Malé, Maldives, brought together nine National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in South Asia, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The forecast is based on an analysis of global climate conditions. There is strong consensus among experts that El conditions are likely to develop during the 2026 monsoon season. In parallel, the Indian Ocean Dipole – which is another key climate driver in the region – is expected to move from a neutral to positive phase.

Although the current spring predictability barrier means that forecasts at this time of year have less certainty, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services will provide nationally-tailored updates to inform decision-making.

From June through September, the Southwest Monsoon dominates life in much of South Asia. Accounting for 75-90 per cent of the annual rainfall in most parts of the region (excepting Sri Lanka and south-eastern India), replenishing water resources like rivers, lakes, and groundwater, which are vital for irrigation and drinking water supplies.

It is the lifeblood of national economies, agricultural production and food security. Below-average monsoon rainfall can trigger food insecurity among vulnerable populations, whilst heavy monsoon-related rainfall and flooding also causes many casualties each year.

WMO Action
WMO is supporting the expansion of multi-hazard early warnings, including flash flood forecasts and drought and water management tools.

The WMO is also working with the World Health Organization and partners to strengthen collaboration between meteorological and health authorities. The new South Asia Heat and Health Hub will serve as the region’s central platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and policy innovation on heat-related health risks.

In addition, there is a new South Asia Climate–Health Desk, established as part of the WHO–WMO Climate and Health Joint Programme and implemented with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), India Meteorological Department (IMD), and other partners.

The WMO Coordination Mechanism (WCM) delivers a Global HydroMet Weekly Scan and the Global Seasonal Climate Outlook Briefing, to support UN and humanitarian agencies in preparedness and early action. These products are even more relevant given the likely development of El Niño.

The monthly briefing on 29 April included a presentation by an expert from the India Meteorological Department / Pune Regional Climate Centre on the southwest monsoon outlook. The session brought together staff from more than 20 UN and humanitarian organizations, and its content is distributed to over 300 recipients.

Suyu Liu posted in Asia Community

1 month ago Public

Climate change is raising the stakes for water security in the Indo-Pacific

By Mark Thomson (on 23 April 2026)
the original link is: https://www.iwmi.org/blogs/climate-change-is-raising-the-stakes-for-wat…

A regional discussion highlighted how Australia and partners can turn water and climate commitments into real-world progress across the region.

The Indo-Pacific, broadly spanning the Indian and Pacific Oceans, is home to about half the world’s population. Accounting for nearly two-thirds of the world’s economy, it is one of the most consequential regions on the planet. Where water defines both geography and daily life, climate and water security are critical to the region’s future stability and growth.

In April 2026, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Australian Water Partnership, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) convened a timely discussion on one of the Indo-Pacific’s most pressing challenges: water security in a changing climate.

IWMI Director General Mark Smith delivers opening remarks at the “Water Security in a Changing Climate: Translating the Global Commission on the Economics of Water in the Indo-Pacific” round table. Photo: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
IWMI Director General Mark Smith delivers opening remarks at the “Water Security in a Changing Climate: Translating the Global Commission on the Economics of Water in the Indo-Pacific” round table. Photo: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
“We must move beyond incremental change and set bold, coordinated missions to stabilize the global water cycle. That is why IWMI is committed to building and supporting coalitions for collective action to transform water systems,” said Mark Smith, director general of IWMI.

Smith cited the flagship report of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water (GCEW), which calls for a fundamental shift in how water is valued, managed and used. It advances the idea of a new economics of water, arguing that the global water cycle should be governed as a shared common good.

On the role of science in this shift, Smith said, “We need to direct research and innovation toward transforming our water future. That includes rebuilding food systems and restoring ecosystems, embracing circular water economies, scaling clean energy and technology, and ensuring that no child dies for lack of safe water.”

Across the discussions, one message was clear: water is not a sectoral issue. It sits at the center of climate resilience, food systems, economic development and regional stability, increasingly shaping development pathways across the Indo-Pacific.

Climate change is intensifying droughts, floods and variability, while demand continues to rise across agriculture, cities and industry. Together, these pressures are placing a growing strain on already stressed systems. The question is no longer what needs to be done, but how to accelerate solutions at scale.

Translating the recommendations from GCEW’s report “The Economics of Water” into practical regional action was a central focus of the discussion. This requires a shift in how water is understood — recognizing the hydrological cycle as a global common good, and rethinking how water is governed, valued and financed.

Australia contributes to this not through a single institution, but through a broad and connected international water security team. This includes government, research institutions, universities, NGOs and the private sector working across bilateral and regional partnerships.

Mark Thomson, IWMI director of business strategy and delivery, stands at far right with officials from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Australian Water Partnership, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and IWMI. Photo: ACIAR
Mark Thomson, IWMI director of business strategy and delivery, stands at far right with officials from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Australian Water Partnership and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He is joined by IWMI Director General Mark Smith, center, and Mohsin Hafeez, IWMI strategic program director for water, food and ecosystems, third from right. Photo: ACIAR
As discussions unfolded, three themes for advancing climate-water action in the Indo-Pacific came into focus.

Urgency. Water insecurity is already constraining development and resilience across the region.

Australian expertise. From basin governance to water accounting, Australia brings practical experience in managing variability. This is already being applied across Eastern and Southern Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Australia’s experience in cross-sectoral water reform also offers important insights for how other nations and partners can better address water security.

Partnerships and implementation. Turning global frameworks into impact will require stronger alignment between policy, science and finance, and deeper collaboration across partners. It needs to be supported by coordinated engagement on the ground.

The discussion also highlighted key contributions of the Global Commission on Water, including understanding the importance of atmospheric moisture flows, advances in water accounting and a broader approach to valuing water beyond pricing alone. Its mission-driven focus, spanning food systems, ecosystem restoration, circular water economies, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), provides a practical pathway for action.

The Indo-Pacific does not lack knowledge on water. The challenge is connecting that knowledge to coordinated action through investment, institutional strengthening and delivery at scale.

Australia and IWMI have a clear role to play, working with partners across the region to help translate global ambition into practical outcomes.

The focus now is on maintaining momentum and moving from dialogue to delivery.

Suyu Liu posted in Asia Community

1 month ago Public

UNCCD COP 17 is calling for side events now
The deadline is 15 May 2026.
The official link: https://www.unccd.int/cop17/programme/side-events

Side events organized within the sidelines of the official sessions of the Conference of the Parties (COP) and/or its subsidiary bodies convened by the UNCCD provide an informal opportunity for Parties and accredited observer organizations to exchange information and experiences on diverse issues related to the objectives of the Convention.

Parties and accredited organizations interested in organizing a side event during COP17 must submit a proposal using the application form for side events.

General guidelines for organizers of side events and specific instructions can be downloaded from the right-hand menu on this page.

Requests to hold side events during COP17 should be submitted by May 15, 2026. Information on the approved side events will be sent by the UNCCD secretariat approximately two months prior to the session.

Participants are advised that the secretariat is responsible only for room allocation. Time slots and rooms will be accommodated according to availability on a first come, first serve basis.

A list of services available from local providers, including interpretation and catering services, will be shared on this page as soon as it is available.

A calendar of side and parallel events during COP 17 will be published in the official Journal of the session and will also be available here. For any additional information on side events, please refer to the guidelines posted in the right-hand menu on this page.

For more information on side events, please contact the UNCCD Secretariat at sideevent@unccd.int.

Suyu Liu posted in Asia Community

1 month ago Public

UNCCD COP17 preparations advance in Mongolia

This news piece is from UNCCD official webpage (published on 16 April 2026): https://www.unccd.int/news-stories/stories/unccd-cop17-preparations-adv…

As global pressures on land, food systems and water intensify, preparations for the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties (UNCCD COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) are entering a critical phase.

During a two-day visit to Ulaanbaatar, UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad met with Mongolia’s leadership to advance preparations for COP17, to be held in the Mongolian capital from 17 to 28 August 2026 under the theme “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope.”

This engagement comes at a time of mounting global pressure on land and natural resources. Up to 40 per cent of the world’s land is already degraded, undermining food production, water availability and livelihoods. At the same time, droughts have increased by nearly one-third since 2000, placing additional strain on communities, particularly in dryland regions where people depend directly on healthy land for their survival.

UNCCD Executive Secretary Dr. Yasmine Fouad meets with Prime Minister of Mongolia H.E. Uchral Nyam-Osor

Drought alone already costs the global economy at least USD 300 billion each year, with impacts cascading across food systems, supply chains and livelihoods.

From global challenge to national reality

In Mongolia, these challenges are not abstract. Nearly 77 per cent of Mongolia’s land is affected by degradation, while increasingly frequent droughts followed by severe winters are placing mounting pressure on pastoral livelihoods, a cornerstone of the economy and a way of life for around one-third of the population.

UNCCD Executive Secretary Dr. Yasmine Fouad meets with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and COP17 President Designate H.E. B. Battsetseg

These pressures reflect broader global trends. Rangelands, which cover more than half of the Earth’s land surface and support around two billion people, are increasingly under strain from climate change and unsustainable land use, with up to half already degraded or at risk.

Declining soil fertility, reduced water retention and ecosystem degradation are already affecting food production, incomes and resilience. At the same time, efforts are underway to respond. National initiatives on land restoration, rangeland management and sustainable livestock systems are helping to address these challenges, while showing how environmental sustainability and economic resilience can go hand in hand.

A conference focused on delivery

Discussions during the visit focused not only on the organization of COP17, but also on ensuring the conference delivers concrete and measurable results.

UNCCD and host country teams discuss COP17 preparations

This includes scaling up investment in land restoration and drought resilience, strengthening sustainable food systems and supporting communities on the frontlines of land degradation.

“Healthy land is the foundation of food security, livelihoods and stability,” said UNCCD Executive Secretary Dr. Yasmine Fouad. “Preparations for COP17 are now entering a critical phase. Together with Mongolia, we are working to ensure the conference delivers real results, from scaling up investment in land restoration and drought resilience to strengthening food systems and supporting communities most at risk.”

Mongolian authorities also emphasized their commitment to advancing green development and using COP17 as an opportunity to strengthen both national and global action.

“Desertification has become an issue that affects the living environment of every citizen of our country. Therefore, the Government of Mongolia will declare green development as a national priority. We will submit the Law on Climate Change to the State Great Khural(Parliament). We will promote our green development policy globally, attract investment, and create new opportunities. We will also accelerate our infrastructure and project development efforts,” said Uchral Nyam-Osor, Prime Minister of Mongolia.

Why it matters now

Land degradation and drought are increasingly seen as systematic risk multipliers. They intensify competition over land and water, undermine livelihoods and can contribute to displacement and instability.

In many parts of the world, these pressures are already linked to rising food insecurity and growing social and economic stress. When land can no longer sustain communities, the impacts are felt across entire systems, from local livelihoods to national stability.

Their effects go well beyond the environment, shaping food systems, economic resilience and social cohesion, particularly in regions already under pressure.

Addressing these challenges is therefore not only an environmental priority, but also a development and economic one. It is also an investment in stability, helping reduce pressure on scarce resources, strengthen livelihoods and support more resilient communities

Looking ahead to COP17

COP17 will bring together governments, financial institutions, scientists, civil society and the private sector to accelerate action on land restoration and drought resilience.

Key priorities include scaling up finance, strengthening drought preparedness, advancing sustainable land management and elevating the role of rangelands and pastoral communities, particularly in the context of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists in 2026.

As the first of the Rio Conventions COPs in 2026, COP17 comes at a moment when the scale of the challenge is clear, and so is the cost of inaction. The focus now is on turning commitments into results and ensuring that solutions reach the ground.

UNCCD team during the recent visit to Mongolia, the host of the next UNCCD COP17

In Mongolia, where these challenges are already visible, this ambition is not abstract. It is about what happens next and the legacy of action that COP17 will deliver.

For media enquiries

UNCCD Press Office: press@unccd.int

About UNCCD

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global vision and voice for land. We unite governments, scientists, policymakers, private sector and communities around a shared vision and global action to restore and manage the world’s land for the sustainability of humanity and the planet. Much more than an international treaty signed by 197 Parties, UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to mitigating today’s impacts of land degradation and advancing tomorrow’s land stewardship to provide food, water, shelter and economic opportunity to all people in an equitable and inclusive manner.

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