Drought a defining developmental challenge, says Environment Minister at UNCCD conference
During the conference in Mongolia, Minister Bhupender Yadav advocates for integrating predictive technologies, localised early-warning monitoring, and proactive land management policies
At the UNCCD conference held in Mongolia on August 25, 2026, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav emphasized the need for a fundamental shift in the global approach to droughts. He argued that proactive, technology-enabled resilience measures should replace reactive relief efforts. Yadav warned that dry spells are rapidly escalating and are now a defining development challenge, causing disruptions to water security, food systems, biodiversity, and economic stability.
He highlighted India's multi-institutional approach, integrating early warning, mitigation, relief, and community resilience through rainfall monitoring and satellite-based drought assessments. The minister stressed the importance of restoring forests to improve water retention and groundwater recharge, advocating for predictive technologies and proactive land management policies.
These discussions were a key part of the UNCCD COP17, with the aim of translating high-level environmental commitments into measurable solutions for water and food security.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu - Sci-Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
