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.

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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.