UN land summit in Mongolia concludes with $1.3 billion deal for restoration and drought resilience

The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) wrapped up in Mongolia, resulting in a $1.3 billion financial commitment to bolster land restoration and drought resilience efforts. This significant portfolio was announced by the COP17 presidency during the closing press conference in Ulaanbaatar.

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Governments, development banks, funds and companies announced a US$1.3 billion portfolio of finance for land restoration and drought resilience across 23 countries on five continents, at different stages of development.

The funding, pledged by governments, development banks, funds, and companies, is earmarked for 23 countries across five continents. Of the total amount, $644.5 million is identified as new finance, with $216.4 million already confirmed for implementation. The initiatives will focus on rangeland and landscape restoration, drought resilience, and locally led adaptation strategies.

A key achievement of the two-week conference, which convened nearly 200 UNCCD Parties and over 25,000 participants, was the launch of the Rangelands Flagship Initiative. This initiative pools $1.2 billion across 45 projects dedicated to sustainable rangeland management, restoration, and supporting the livelihoods of pastoralists, who manage vast areas of the Earth's land surface.

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We came to Ulaanbaatar saying that COP17 must be a COP of implementation.

UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad stressed that the summit's true success will be measured by its post-conference impact. "Ulaanbaatar will not be judged by what was announced inside this conference," she stated. "Its legacy will be measured by what happens next." The conference aimed to place implementation at the forefront of global efforts to combat land degradation, desertification, and drought, with a particular focus on the world's rangelands.

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But Ulaanbaatar will not be judged by what was announced inside this conference. Its legacy will be measured by what happens next.