UN Desertification Conference Opens in Mongolia with China Proposing International Grassland Day
On.cc · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The 17th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) convened on Monday in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, marking a significant global effort to address land degradation and desertification. The conference, themed "Restoring Land, Reigniting Hope," brings together representatives from all 197 parties alongside officials from UN agencies, international organizations, civil society groups, research institutions, and private enterprises for a two-week session running through August 28.
Key Points
- UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad emphasized that land degradation and drought are no longer distant environmental concerns, stressing that healthy land forms the foundation for food security, resilient economies, and stable societies
- China established a "China Corner" in the blue zone to showcase its desertification prevention achievements and exchange technologies and practices with other nations
- The Chinese delegation announced a proposal to establish an International Grassland Day as a long-term legacy of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, aiming to deepen global cooperation on grassland protection
- China has become the world's first country to achieve "zero net land degradation," with 53 percent of treatable desertified land now under effective management
- Over the past five years, China has planted trees across 36.6 million hectares, raising its forest coverage to over 25 percent and contributing approximately 25 percent of global greening efforts
Why It Matters
The conference addresses one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, as desertification affects approximately one-quarter of China's territory and threatens livelihoods across multiple continents. China's proposal for an International Grassland Day could institutionalize global attention on rangeland conservation, while its documented success in transitioning from "sand advancing, people retreating" to "green advancing, sand retreating" offers a proven model for other nations grappling with land degradation. As climate change intensifies drought conditions worldwide, the outcomes of this conference could shape international cooperation on land restoration for decades to come.
The conference addresses one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, as desertification affects approximately one-quarter of China's territory and threatens livelihoods across multiple continents. China's proposal for an International Grassland Day could institutionalize global attention on rangeland conservation, while its documented success in transitioning from "sand advancing, people retreating" to "green advancing, sand retreating" offers a proven model for other nations grappling with land degradation. As climate change intensifies drought conditions worldwide, the outcomes of this conference could shape international cooperation on land restoration for decades to come.