Negotiations at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, have intensified as Parties seek stronger commitments on drought resilience, land restoration and sustainable financing.
On the fifth day of the conference, negotiators continued discussions on key issues including drought, migration, private-sector engagement, reporting, science-policy linkages and the programme of work for COP18.
While progress was recorded in several areas, questions remained over the level of ambition in the global response to drought, as well as the availability of predictable financing and mechanisms for effective implementation.
Beyond the negotiating rooms, discussions focused on moving from Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets to bankable restoration projects and strategies for mobilising public and private investment.
Participants also examined sustainable livestock production, communal land governance, resilient livelihoods and locally led approaches to land restoration.
At the Mayors’ Forum, city leaders highlighted the growing role of urban authorities in tackling land degradation, water scarcity, drought and migration, while promoting resilient and sustainable urban development.
Indigenous peoples, local communities, women, youth and civil society organisations called for meaningful participation in decision-making, secure land tenure and greater support for community-led restoration initiatives.
The conference also placed renewed emphasis on strengthening the science-policy interface and improving monitoring and reporting systems to ensure that international commitments translate into measurable results.
Discussions increasingly reflected the interconnected nature of land, climate, biodiversity, food systems, water and livelihoods, with participants stressing the need for integrated approaches to addressing these challenges.
As COP17 enters its second week, attention is expected to shift further towards securing concrete commitments, predictable financing, stronger institutions and large-scale implementation of land restoration and drought-resilience measures.
The conference is expected to determine how existing evidence, initiatives and restoration solutions can be translated into sustained action capable of delivering tangible benefits to vulnerable communities and ecosystems.
Keywords: UNCCD COP17, land restoration, drought resilience, sustainable finance, land degradation, Mongolia, climate change, COP17 negotiations.