Seven key issues to shape conversations as UNCCD COP17 kicks off in Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, is the stage for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), where delegates from 196 nations and the European Union have convened. The critical talks are expected to center on urgent environmental issues, with drought resilience and land restoration taking prominence. Discussions will also delve into the protection of rangelands, vital ecosystems facing degradation worldwide. A major hurdle anticipated in the negotiations is the substantial financing gap, estimated in the billions of dollars, required to implement effective land management and restoration strategies. The conference aims to foster international cooperation and commitments to combat desertification and land degradation, which threaten livelihoods and ecosystems globally. Mongolia's hosting of this event underscores its own vulnerability to land degradation and its commitment to finding global solutions.