The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UNCCD concluded on August 28, 2026, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The conference was held for two weeks. It focused on land degradation, desertification, drought resilience and rangeland restoration. A total of 197 Parties took part in the UNCCD process. Under the theme “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope,” COP17 placed a strong emphasis on implementation, focusing on turning global commitments and land restoration pledges into measurable, on-the-ground action.

What is UNCCD?

UNCCD stands for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Established in 1994, it remains the only legally binding international agreement that connects environmental protection and development with sustainable land management. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or UNCCD, was established in 1994. It is one of the three Rio Conventions. The other two are:-

  • UNFCCC- It deals with climate change.
  • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)- It deals with biodiversity.
  • UNCCD- It deals with desertification, land degradation and drought.

The UNCCD has 197 Parties, including 196 countries and the European Union. Its main aim is to fight desertification, land degradation and drought. It also promotes the sustainable use and management of land. An important goal under the UNCCD is Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). It means that the amount of healthy and productive land should not decrease. This goal is also linked with SDG Target 15.3.

Key Highlights of UNCCD COP17

UNCCD COP17 focused on the growing global problems of land degradation, desertification and drought. The conference stressed the need for faster land restoration, better drought preparedness and stronger financial support.

Global Land Crisis

Land degradation is becoming a major global problem. Up to 40% of the world’s land is degraded. This affects agriculture, water availability, biodiversity and the livelihoods of millions of people. Countries have committed to restore more than 1 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030. However, this target will need strong policies and financial support. Drought is also becoming a serious challenge. More than 70 countries now have national drought plans. In 2013, only three countries had such plans.

Focus on Rangelands and Pastoral Communities

COP17 gave special importance to rangelands and pastoral communities. Rangelands include grasslands, savannas and other areas used mainly for grazing animals. These areas are important for biodiversity, food security and local livelihoods. The conference was also linked with the UN International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, 2026. COP17 highlighted the important role of pastoral communities in protecting and managing these ecosystems. It stressed that their traditional knowledge should be included in land management policies.

Nature-Based Solutions

Another important focus of COP17 was Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA). These approaches use natural ecosystems to deal with problems such as climate change, drought and land degradation. For example, restoring grasslands, forests and wetlands can improve soil quality, protect water sources and support biodiversity. The aim is to include ecosystem restoration in national planning and infrastructure development.

Drought Resilience

COP17 also focused on improving drought preparedness. The Drought Resilience Index was introduced as a tool to assess a country’s ability to deal with drought.

It helps countries understand their ability to:

  • Anticipate drought
  • Prepare for drought
  • Adapt to drought

The index uses AI-based analytics and vulnerability mapping. Its main purpose is to help countries move from reactive relief to proactive preparedness. In simple words, countries should prepare for drought before a major crisis happens instead of acting only after the damage is done.

Drought Resilience Investment Facility

The Drought Resilience Investment Facility was launched by UNCCD and Luxembourg. It aims to mobilise up to $400 million from public and private sources.

The facility will support areas such as:

  • Water security
  • Climate-resilient agriculture
  • Nature-based solutions
  • Land restoration

The aim is to help vulnerable countries and communities prepare for future droughts.

Finance and Drought Treaty

Finance was one of the biggest concerns at COP17. The conference announced $1.3 billion in new and pipeline financing for land restoration and drought resilience. However, the amount required globally is much higher. The world needs around $355 billion every year for land restoration. At present, only around $77 billion is invested. This leaves a financing gap of around $278 billion every year. Another important issue was the proposed legally binding global drought treaty. Countries could not reach an agreement on this issue. Therefore, drought will remain an important agenda item at COP18 and future UNCCD meetings.

India at COP17

India played an important role in UNCCD COP 17 and highlighted its work on land restoration, grassland conservation and community-based protection of ecosystems.

Open Natural Ecosystems

India launched its first Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems. The guide highlights important ecosystems such as:

  • Thar
  • Banni
  • Deccan savannas

The initiative is important because grasslands and other open ecosystems are often treated as “wastelands”. India wants to promote their protection and better management.

Land Restoration

India has restored 21.76 million hectares of land under the Bonn Challenge. India’s target is to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. This shows India’s focus on restoring degraded land and improving the health of ecosystems.

India’s Key Demands

India called for predictable and sustained international finance for land restoration. It also stressed the need to combine scientific knowledge with traditional knowledge. India highlighted the role of pastoral communities as custodians of ecosystems. It also mentioned the Orans of Rajasthan as an example of community-led conservation.

Important Initiatives

UNCCD cop highlighted several important initiatives to deal with drought, land degradation and lack of finance for land restoration. These initiatives aim to help countries prepare for drought, restore degraded land and increase investment from both governments and the private sectors.

Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership

This initiative was launched at COP16 in 2024. It received initial commitments of $2.15 billion. Its aim is to support vulnerable and drought-affected countries and improve their ability to deal with drought.

Business4Land

Business4Land is a UNCCD platform. It aims to increase private-sector participation in sustainable land and water management. The idea is to encourage companies and investors to support land restoration and other environmental projects.

Conclusion

UNCCD COP17 highlighted the growing global problem of land degradation and drought. The conference focused on land restoration, rangelands, pastoral communities, nature-based solutions and drought preparedness. New financial initiatives were announced, but the large funding gap remains a major challenge. Countries also failed to reach an agreement on a legally binding global drought treaty. For India, COP17 was an important platform to highlight its progress in land restoration and the need to protect grasslands and other open ecosystems. The main message of COP17 was clear- countries need better planning, stronger financial support and greater international cooperation to restore land and prepare for future droughts.