COP17 opens in Mongolia with ministerial dialogues on land restoration

The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) opened its high-level segment in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on August 24, 2026, with a week of ministerial dialogues focused on financing, drought resilience, and grassland restoration. Mongolia's President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh pledged the meeting would be "a platform of multilateral cooperation based on consensus," not a "scenario of geopolitical confrontation" Source: Infobae. The conference runs until August 28, bringing together 197 parties Source: Heraldo de México.

Key themes

• Grasslands initiative: The 'Grasslands Flagship Initiative', led by Mongolia, aims to mobilize investments for sustainable management and restoration of grasslands, which cover over half of Earth's land surface and support about 2 billion people Source: Infobae.
• Financing: Mongolia signed a letter of intent with the European Investment Bank for up to €200 million and agreed with the World Bank on a program to mobilize $100 million for sustainable land management Source: Infobae.
• Drought resilience: Countries shared national strategies; the Dominican Republic warned of increased meteorological drought risk in the second half of 2026, citing a 46% national precipitation deficit in May Source: Diario Libre.

Country positions

Uruguay presented its soil and water conservation policies, including the Sovereign Bond linked to Climate Change Indicators and the Climate and Nature Fund, and highlighted grassland restoration efforts with the University of the Republic Source: La República. The Dominican Republic emphasized strengthening early warning systems and integrated water-land management Source: Diario Libre.

What's next

Ministerial dialogues continue through the week, covering drought resilience (Tuesday) and grassland restoration (Wednesday). The conference also addresses sand and dust storms, soil health, and food systems Source: Infobae. The previous COP in Riyadh (2024) failed to close a binding drought protocol, and negotiators are working to transform commitments into action Source: Infobae.