UNCCD COP17 Closing Statement

As the 17^th UN-Convention to Combat Desertification Conference of the Parties (COP17) closes in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Linda Krueger, The Nature Conservancy’s Director of Biodiversity and Infrastructure Policy, argues that the question is no longer whether these challenges will affect people and nature but how we collectively choose to respond:

“More than three billion people are already living with the consequences of land degradation, yet the world still faces a US$278 billion annual funding gap to restore lands and strengthen drought resilience. At UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, one message was clear: land degradation and drought are not only environmental challenges; they are also economic, social, food and water security threats affecting communities worldwide.

“As El Niño and other climate change-driven disruptions continue to alter global weather patterns we used to take for granted, regions that once considered drought a distant threat are increasingly experiencing water stress, extreme heat, crop losses and degraded landscapes. Communities that never had to worry about drought are now finding themselves on the front line.

“While negotiations here delivered mixed results and a pace of progress that failed to mirror the rate of environmental change around us, COP17 still generated important momentum via new investments, partnerships and initiatives designed to accelerate action.

“Key outcomes included:

• Mongolia’s COP Presidency helped drive the transition from ambition to implementation with the launch of the Steppe Action Agenda, including the Rangelands Flagship Initiative. These efforts highlight the critical role of land restoration, nature-based solutions to climate risks, sustainable rangeland management and the land-water nexus in building more resilient communities and economies.
• COP17 underscored that restoring land is not a financial burden, but a smart investment in resilience, livelihoods and prosperity. The launch of the Drought Resilience Investment Facility (DRIF) marked a major milestone. As the world’s first global finance instrument dedicated to drought resilience, DRIF aims to mobilize investment and help countries move from responding to drought crises, to preparing for them. While additional governments, development banks, investment funds and companies announced approximately US$1.3 billion in new and pipeline financing for land restoration and drought resilience across 23 countries.
• Brazil pledged to protect or rescue and restore a total of 3.67 million km² covering 43.1% of the country’s territory by 2030 in its voluntary Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) Target, which the country presented to the UNCCD. The target includes initiatives that include actions in protected areas, Indigenous Territories such as the Cerrado and Caatinga territories.
• One of the most encouraging themes was that local leadership drives lasting results. Indigenous Peoples, local communities and pastoralists played a central role throughout COP17, reflecting the fact that community knowledge and stewardship are essential to restoring landscapes and strengthening resilience.

The Decisions adopted in Ulaanbaatar help strengthen the foundation for future action, particularly on drought resilience and the development of a post-2030 vision for the Convention.

“At the same time, negotiations showed the challenges of achieving consensus on some of the most pressing issues facing people and ecosystems. Discussions revealed continued differences among Parties, and progress did not always match the urgency facing people and ecosystems. As Parties as well as stakeholders leave COP17, attention must now turn to implementation and to building the ambition needed to safeguard land, water and livelihoods in an increasingly drought-prone world.

“As the first of the three Rio Convention COPs in 2026, CCD-COP17 sets the stage for upcoming biodiversity and climate negotiations. The discussions in Ulaanbaatar reinforced that drought, land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change are interconnected crises that require integrated solutions.

“Weather systems that societies have long relied upon are becoming increasingly unpredictable, exposing new regions to drought risk and economic disruption. The question is no longer whether these challenges will affect us, but how prepared we are to respond.

“World leaders must match the scale of the challenge with the scale of action. Stronger cooperation, broader inclusion and sustained, coordinated investment will be essential to protect vulnerable communities, strengthen resilience and secure a more sustainable future for people and nature.”