UNCCD COP17, Key Outcomes, India’s Initiatives, Progress

The 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from 17 to 28 August 2026 under the theme “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.”The conference focused on land restoration, drought resilience, rangelands, pastoralist livelihoods and sustainable land management. With land degradation affecting up to 40% of the world’s land, COP17 sought to strengthen practical action, finance and community participation for restoring degraded landscapes.

About United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification 

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is a legally binding international framework established in 1994 to combat desertification, land degradation and the effects of drought, particularly in drylands.

• The Convention entered into force in 1996 and currently has 197 Parties, including the European Union. 
• It is the only legally binding global framework specifically addressing desertification and drought. 
• The UNCCD follows the principles of participation, partnership and decentralisation, recognising the role of governments, local communities, scientists, civil society and other stakeholders in land management. 
• Its broader objective is not merely to prevent desertification but to promote land restoration, sustainable land management and drought resilience, thereby supporting food security, water security, livelihoods and ecosystems.

About UNCCD COP17

The Conference of Parties (COP) is the main decision-making body of the UNCCD.

• COP17 was hosted by Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar from 17-28 August 2026. 
• The theme “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.” reflected the focus on converting land restoration commitments into practical action.
• COP17 brought together representatives of the UNCCD’s 197 Parties, along with scientists, governments, businesses, Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists, youth and civil society. 
• The conference focused particularly on rangelands, drought resilience, water, food systems, land restoration and sustainable land management. 
• Its significance was enhanced by 2026 being the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, providing a global platform to address the degradation of rangelands and the livelihoods dependent on them. 

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UNCCD COP17 Key Outcomes and Highlights 

UNCCD COP17 sought to move the global approach from declarations towards implementation, finance and community-led restoration.

Greater Focus on Rangelands and Pastoralists

UNCCD COP17 placed rangelands and pastoral communities at the centre of efforts to tackle land degradation and drought.

• Rangelands cover about 54% of the Earth’s land surface and support the livelihoods of nearly 2 billion people, including around 500 million pastoralists.
• The Rangelands Flagship Initiative was launched to fund projects that restore degraded rangelands, improve their sustainable management and strengthen the livelihoods of pastoral communities.
  • The initiative brings together around US$1.2 billion across 45 projects, making it the largest mobilisation for rangelands under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
  • The initiative recognises pastoralists as custodians of rangelands, giving greater importance to their traditional knowledge and participation in land management.
  • It also emphasises secure land rights, biodiversity conservation, food security and sustainable pastoral livelihoods.

Shift from Drought Response to Drought Resilience

UNCCD COP17 strengthened the emphasis on anticipatory and resilience-based drought management rather than responding only after drought occurs.

• Drought resilience requires early warning systems, preparedness, risk reduction, adaptation and coordinated action. 
• The approach seeks to integrate drought management into agriculture, water management, disaster risk reduction and development planning.
• UNCCD and Luxembourg also launched the Drought Resilience Investment Facility, aimed at mobilising up to US$400 million in public and private capital for drought resilience. 

Stronger Emphasis on Land Restoration Finance

A major focus of COP17 was to treat land restoration as an investment opportunity rather than merely an environmental cost.

• Governments, development banks, funds and companies announced a US$1.3 billion portfolio of finance across 23 countries for land restoration and drought resilience. 
• Discussions emphasised the use of public finance, concessional resources, guarantees, insurance and private investment to scale up restoration.

Greater Role for Local Communities

COP17 highlighted that restoration is more effective when local communities are involved in planning, implementation and stewardship.

• Community-led approaches were promoted for rangeland management, ecosystem restoration and drought resilience.
• The conference also sought greater recognition of pastoralist, Indigenous, farming and other local communities as implementation partners. 

India at UNCCD COP17

India used COP17 to present its approach to rangeland restoration, drought resilience, open natural ecosystems and community-based conservation.

India’s First Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems

India launched its first-ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) of India at UNCCD COP17.

• The guide recognises grasslands, savannas, scrublands, deserts and other open ecosystems as distinct ecosystems, rather than treating areas without trees as degraded land.
• It brings together their geography, biodiversity, ecological functions and socio-economic importance, including pastoralism, fire ecology and carbon sequestration.
• India’s open natural ecosystems include Himalayan and Terai grasslands, the Thar and Banni landscapes, Deccan savannas, rocky plateaus, ravines, scrublands, coastal ecosystems and deserts.

India’s Approach to Rangeland Restoration

India advocated community-led restoration that combines scientific knowledge with traditional practices and pastoral livelihoods.

• India emphasised that pastoralists should be treated as custodians rather than merely beneficiaries of rangeland restoration.
• India highlighted the Orans of Rajasthan, community-protected sacred groves that conserve biodiversity, support pastoral livelihoods and protect important habitats, including those of the Great Indian Bustard.
• India stressed the importance of recognising grazing rights and community forest resource rights to strengthen community stewardship of rangelands.
• India’s approach combines landscape management, watershed development, sustainable grazing, fodder development and livelihood support.
• India also highlighted the role of deep-rooted grasses in storing carbon in soil, improving water infiltration and supporting groundwater recharge.

India’s Approach to Drought Resilience

India called for a shift from reactive drought relief to proactive, technology-enabled drought resilience.

• India highlighted the use of rainfall monitoring and satellite-based drought assessment to support early preparedness and coordinated action.
• It emphasised watershed-based measures, including restoration of springs and recharge zones in hill areas and ridge-to-valley watershed development in the plains.
• India also highlighted crop insurance and technology-based assessment of crop losses as tools for reducing the economic impact of drought.

The approach brings together early warning, preparedness, mitigation, relief and community resilience rather than treating drought only as a post-disaster relief issue.

India’s Focus on International Finance

India called for greater access to predictable and accessible finance, technology and knowledge for land restoration and drought resilience in developing countries.

• India stressed the need for dedicated financing for rangeland restoration and offered to share its experience through South-South cooperation.

India’s Progress on Land Restoration

India also highlighted its progress under the Bonn Challenge.

• India restored approximately 21.76 million hectares of degraded and deforested land between 2011 and 2020, according to the country’s second progress report on the Bonn Challenge. 
• Restoration included planted forests, natural regeneration, silviculture, agroforestry and mangrove restoration. 
• India had initially pledged to restore 13 million hectares, with an additional 8 million hectares, and later increased its commitment to 26 million hectares by 2030.
• Land restoration is linked with India’s broader objectives of sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation, climate action and rural development. 

What Is the Bonn Challenge?

The Bonn Challenge is a global initiative launched in 2011 by the Government of Germany and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to promote the restoration of degraded and deforested landscapes.

• It initially set a global target of restoring 150 million hectares by 2020.
• The target was subsequently expanded to 350 million hectares by 2030.
• Forest Landscape Restoration is its principal approach, seeking to restore ecological functionality while meeting human needs.
• The Bonn Challenge contributes to wider international commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals, United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, Convention on Biological Diversity and Paris Agreement.