COP17 UNCCD summit addresses global land degradation

The 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17 UNCCD) took place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 17 to 28, 2026. Under the theme ‘Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.’, representatives from nearly 200 countries gathered to address land degradation, desertification, and the increasing frequency and intensity of droughts.

With the UNCCD reporting that up to 40% of the planet's land is currently degraded, the summit focused on strengthening restoration policies and sustainable ecosystem management. Discussions linked land conservation to critical issues such as food and water security, poverty reduction, and sustainable development.

The conclusion of the summit highlighted an urgent need for the execution of land recovery plans. Beyond environmental diplomacy, the event signaled a shift in the global market, where soil degradation is increasingly viewed as a systemic risk to global value chains. The private sector, particularly in agribusiness and food industries, is being called to move beyond mitigation and recognize land restoration as both a responsibility and a significant economic opportunity.