The High-Level Segment of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17) began on August 24.

Ahead of the opening ceremony, President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, Minister of Foreign Affairs and COP17 President Battsetseg Batmunkh, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification Yasmin Fouad, and other distinguished guests and ministerial-level delegates planted trees.

President Khurelsukh officially opened the High-Level Segment with an address. He said climate change, desertification, land degradation and biodiversity loss have become global challenges rather than the problems of any single country, posing an increasingly serious threat to humanity and the future of the planet. Efforts to combat advancing desertification, dust storms, water scarcity, food crises and ecosystem degradation must therefore be coordinated, integrated, long-term, sustainable and mutually reinforcing, he stressed.

The President expressed confidence that the participants would not merely discuss the challenges facing the world, but would jointly identify solutions and deliver concrete decisions and results for a peaceful and green future.

President Khurelsukh said Mongolia believes that combining the traditional knowledge of Mongolians in respecting and protecting nature with modern science, technology and innovation can make an important contribution to finding solutions for sustainable land management, ecosystem balance and people-centered development.

He stressed that desertification, land degradation and drought should not be viewed solely as environmental issues, but addressed comprehensively in connection with food supply and security, water resources, livelihoods, sustainable development, and global peace and security.

The President also emphasized the importance of considering land use, climate change, biodiversity and food systems not as separate issues, but as closely interconnected, and of implementing policies based on science, traditional knowledge and local experience.

Mongolia, which is home to and has safeguarded one of the world's largest remaining temperate grassland ecosystems, experiences the impacts of climate change, desertification and land degradation in daily life due to its landlocked location and predominantly arid and semi-arid environment, he said.

The fact that much of Mongolia's territory is affected by land degradation and desertification has direct consequences not only for the environment, but also for the economy, food supply and security, livelihoods and the sustainability of Mongolia's nomadic heritage, the President noted.

He highlighted Mongolia's national movements, including “Billions of Trees,” “Food Revolution,” “White Gold,” “Blue Gold,” and “Healthy Mongolian,” which seek to restore land, expand forest resources, protect soil, water and pastures, strengthen food supply and security, promote sustainable rural development and create jobs.

President Khurelsukh called for a fair international system that directs global efforts to address the challenges facing developing countries and countries in dry and drought-prone regions, ensuring that financing, technology and capacity reach the countries, regions and communities that need them most.

He called on governments, international financial institutions, development partners and the private sector to direct more grants, concessional financing and green investment toward land restoration, drought resilience and sustainable livelihoods.

The President further stressed that the participation of herders, farmers, local communities, women, young people, children, civil society, researchers and the private sector must be ensured at every stage of policymaking, implementation and monitoring, describing inclusive participation as the foundation for fair, effective, open and sustainable solutions.

He noted that Mongolia is working to increase public participation and youth engagement through initiatives such as the national Youth Participation in Combating Desertification Forum and aims to engage the private sector in cooperation on sustainable land management, investment and innovation in line with the UNCCD's Business for Land initiative.

Mongolia will chair the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification for the next two years. The country's proposed “Steppe Action Agenda” is based on three pillars: the Rangelands Flagship Initiative, the Integrated Water and Land Management Initiative, and the Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative.

Published Date:2026-08-24