COP17 concludes in Mongolia without global drought agreement

The 17th United Nations Conference to Combat Desertification (COP17) concluded in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, without reaching a global agreement to address droughts. Environmental organizations and experts expressed deep frustration over the decision to postpone substantive discussions on drought impacts to COP18, which will be held in Egypt.

Experts from organizations such as Wetlands International and WWF Global warned that the lack of consensus comes at a critical time as global disasters increase. They noted that regions including Europe, the United States (specifically the Colorado River), Southern Africa, and the Amazon are facing severe drought risks, exacerbated by the Super El Niño phenomenon. Critics argued that delaying action by two years will impose significant costs on both communities and global economies.