Healthy soil is becoming a global security priority.
ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA
Representatives of governments, local communities, scientists and businesses are meeting in Mongolia to accelerate international action against desertification, drought and land degradation. The seventeenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification seeks practical commitments on land restoration, water management, rangelands, food systems and soil health. Degraded land reduces agricultural productivity, weakens ecosystems and increases pressure on communities already facing poverty or water scarcity. Its consequences can extend beyond national borders through food inflation, disrupted supply chains, displacement and conflict.
Mongolia provides a stark setting for the negotiations because nearly 77 percent of its territory is considered degraded. Its pastoral economy depends heavily on healthy grasslands, yet rising temperatures, drought and unsustainable land use are placing those ecosystems under increasing pressure. The conference is therefore giving particular attention to herders, Indigenous communities and small farmers whose livelihoods depend directly on soil and water. Delegates are examining approaches that combine traditional knowledge with satellite monitoring, drought resistant crops, efficient irrigation and improved rainwater storage.
Financing remains one of the summit’s central challenges. Approximately $12 billion has been pledged through the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership to support vulnerable countries, but United Nations estimates indicate that restoring degraded land and strengthening drought resilience will require trillions of dollars by the end of the decade. More than seventy countries have submitted drought management plans, and the immediate challenge is converting those strategies into funded projects with measurable results. Governments are also seeking investment from food, textile and agricultural companies whose operations depend on reliable supplies of land, crops and water.
The gap between promises and implementation remains substantial. A recent international assessment found that countries had restored about 124 million hectares under global initiatives, representing only a fraction of their declared commitments. COP17 will be judged not by the number of speeches delivered but by whether it establishes financing mechanisms, transparent monitoring and clear responsibilities for governments and private investors. Restoring land is increasingly understood not only as an environmental objective, but as a foundation for food security, economic stability and resilience against future droughts.
The world changes. We explain why. / El mundo cambia. Explicamos por qué.