Participation in COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, August 17-28

The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was hosted by Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar from 17 to 28 August 2026 under the theme “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.” With a vast territory, Mongolia is among the countries most affected by desertification and land degradation, with nearly 77 per cent of its land already degraded. Hosting UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar highlighted global land restoration priorities, specifically focusing on solutions that protect ecosystems, food supplies, and local economies in dryland areas.

This major event took place during the United Nations International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026), declared by the United Nations General Assembly. Prior to COP17, Mongolia, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), hosted the Global Pastoralist Gathering and Conference from August 10 to 15. Organized within the framework of IYRP 2026, this precursor event aimed to consolidate regional priorities from pastoralist communities worldwide into a unified global voice, producing key declarations and policy recommendations to influence upcoming global discussions on land restoration at UNCCD COP17.

At COP17, Parties reviewed the current and future strategic frameworks, adopted the biennial budget, and addressed key issues like drought resilience, land tenure, and gender-specific indicators. A prominent High-Level Segment featured a Heads of State Summit followed by thematic days dedicated to finance, water management, land stewards, and food systems. These discussions aimed to mobilize large-scale investments, support vulnerable communities, and connect soil restoration directly to global food security.

Representatives from the Reindeer Husbandry and Resilience project team actively participated in this major event. The delegation included Anders Oskal, Executive Director of the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry (ICR) and Secretary General of the Association of World Reindeer Herders (WRH); Johan Mathis Turi, a WRH Board member; and Issat Turi and Svetlana Avelova, ICR staff members. During COP17, the WRH and ICR team attended various events connected to Indigenous Peoples, land degradation and restoration, intergenerational transmission of knowledge, forest management, and sustainable rangelands.

The team closely followed the Indigenous Peoples Caucus during COP17, which was led by Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, President of the Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad (AFPAT). First established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at COP16 in 2024, the Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus within the UNCCD ensures meaningful participation in global land decisions to protect indigenous rights and integrate traditional knowledge into fighting desertification.

As a co-chair of the International Steering Committee for the IYRP, Anders Oskal played an active role in finalizing the Global Pastoralists & Indigenous Pastoralists’ Declaration on the occasion of the Global Pastoralists Gathering in Ulaanbaatar. He officially presented the declaration at the 3rd meeting of COP17 on August 20 during the Open Dialogue session, which focused on the inclusion of activities of civil society organizations within the official programme of work of the Conference of the Parties.

Following this presentation, on August 21, Anders Oskal took part in a press conference titled “Who Will Protect Our Lands and Territories While the World Is Burning?” Organized by Drynet and the CSO Panel, this media event brought together global indigenous and civil society representatives to highlight the critical role of local communities as the long-standing guardians and architects of sustainable land management. Speakers emphasized that effective climate and desertification solutions must prioritize traditional knowledge, community livelihoods, and inclusive decision-making over mere resource management.

Amidst these high-level meetings and professional gatherings, the project team also reconnected with their own project participants who were attending COP17 in separate influential roles, most notably a young reindeer herder from Tsagaannuur Nomin Ochirbat whom they unexpectedly met and were immensely proud to discover was serving as an official speaker across several COP17 events.

As a result of participating in COP17, the Reindeer Husbandry and Resilience project team gathered extensive insights, attended several high-impact sessions, and forged valuable connections with new contacts to support future international initiatives.