International leaders and experts have gathered in Mongolia's capital city of Ulaanbaatar for a pivotal global forum aimed at accelerating action to tackle land degradation and build sustainable futures.
Held under the theme "Restoring Land, Restoring Hope", the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has brought together 12,000 representatives from 197 parties, including heads of state, ministers, and delegates from international organizations, the scientific community, and civil society. Their shared goal is to formulate concrete solutions to desertification, land degradation and drought.
Over the two-week event taking place from August 17 to 28, participants are engaging in high-level ministerial dialogues alongside specialized forums focused on science-policy integration, innovation and sustainable finance, all aimed at driving progress toward Land Degradation Neutrality.
Among the voices at the summit, experts stressed the importance of technology in preventing overuse-driven desertification.
"Well, one thing is to prevent desertification. So that is to use, manage, and steward the land in an appropriate way. Most of the problems of land degradation are caused by overuse, like over-plowing, overgrazing, over-pumping. And so knowing how close we are to the threshold is important. So maybe the technology can help identify when we are close to the threshold," said Paolo D'Odorico, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.
The urgency of the conference's mission is underscored by the host country's own struggle. Mongolia spans 1.56 million square kilometers, yet more than 76 percent of its land is facing severe degradation, putting the livelihoods of millions at risk. But this crisis extends far beyond Mongolia's borders, and that is precisely why leaders and experts from around the world have converged here: to find real, lasting solutions and turn pledges into collective action.
"Release the funds, because for the past two or three COPs, there've been pledges, and I think it's time now to release the funds so people can start the work and then make sure that desertification is controlled. Use the examples that you have with China, with the Gobi Desert. All that is a transfer of skills, technology, and mindset as well. It's very important," said Josephine Sallah, representative of an environmental organization.
Beyond the conference halls, exhibition areas hosted by international organizations and various countries, including China, are showcasing achievements in grassland protection, desertification control, and global collaboration. As the summit continues, participants are urging the international community to strengthen cooperation across climate change, funding mechanisms and youth education, turning dialogue into decisive action for the planet's future.
Experts gather at COP17 for solutions to halt global land degradation
