The Government of Mongolia and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) have signed an agreement for the hosting of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) in Ulaanbaatar in 2026.
The global event will bring together UNCCD’s 197 member countries to accelerate efforts in addressing desertification, land degradation, and drought. Mongolia, one of the countries most affected by desertification with nearly 77 percent of its land degraded—aims to use COP17 to drive sustainable land management and restoration initiatives worldwide.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Bonn, Germany, Mongolia’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Odontuya Saldan, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to environmental protection through initiatives such as the “Billion Trees” campaign.
“Mongolia is committed to combating desertification and restoring degraded lands. We are taking decisive steps to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come,” she stated.
UNCCD Executive Secretary, Ibrahim Thiaw, stressed the urgency of tackling land degradation and drought, noting that 40 per cent of the world’s land is already degraded, affecting nearly half of the global population.
“COP17 in Mongolia will build on the momentum from COP16 in Riyadh, enhancing global commitments, strengthening financial mechanisms, and fostering cross-sector partnerships,” Thiaw said.
The conference is expected to align with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) in 2026, declared by the United Nations General Assembly. With over 60 percent of Central Asia and Mongolia’s land used as grazing rangelands, the event will highlight the importance of rangeland conservation in ensuring food security, biodiversity protection, and climate resilience.
The issue of desertification is of particular concern to African nations, including Nigeria, where the Sahel region continues to battle severe land degradation and encroaching desertification. Experts believe outcomes from COP17 will be crucial in shaping policies that can support sustainable land management in Africa.
The two-week conference will feature high-level discussions, thematic dialogues, and forums, including the first-ever Indigenous Peoples Caucus, the Gender Caucus, the Youth Forum, and the Business4Land Forum, aimed at engaging the private sector in land restoration efforts.
Mongolia’s Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets align with global climate goals, with the country aiming to halt further grassland degradation, reduce deforestation, increase agricultural yields, and ensure no net loss of wetlands by 2030.
Building on progress from UNCCD COP16, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in December 2024, COP17 will work towards finalizing a global drought framework to strengthen resilience against increasing drought risks.
With climate change posing serious environmental threats such as soil degradation, sand and dust storms, and desertification, Mongolia is set to use COP17 as a platform to push for stronger international cooperation, increased climate financing, and the transition to sustainable land-use practices.
By Dare Akogun
