UNCCD COP17: Nations pledge $1.3bn to tackle drought, land degradation

In Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the 17th Conference of Parties (CoP) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) took place from 17 to 28 August 2026, with the theme “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.” The UNCCD, established in 1994, is the only legally binding framework for addressing desertification and the effects of drought, with 197 Parties, including 196 country Parties and the European Union.

Key takeaways from CoP 17 include India's emphasis on community-led restoration of rangelands, a shift from drought response to drought resilience, and the launch of India's first guide to grasslands and other open natural ecosystems (ONEs).

Brief written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.