17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to UNCCD

The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will be hosted by Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar from August 17-28, 2026.

Conference Theme

"Restoring Land. Restoring Hope."

Who Will Attend

COP17 is expected to bring together delegates from UNCCD's 197 Parties, alongside leaders from government, business, and civil society, as well as scientists, youth, Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists, and smallholder farmers.

Conference Purpose

Participants will convene to forge solutions to the interconnected challenges of desertification, land degradation, and drought. The conference recognizes that restoring land is also essential to reducing instability, preventing displacement, and strengthening human and national security in vulnerable regions.

The Challenge

Land degradation is already affecting up to 40 percent of the world's land, with far-reaching impacts on food production, water availability, livelihoods, and economic stability.

Why It Matters

UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad explains:

"Land is our most vital infrastructure — underpinning food security, water, livelihoods and stability. When land fails, insecurity rises — through lost livelihoods, forced displacement and increased competition over scarce resources."

"With UNCCD COP17, Mongolia is offering the world a powerful message: Restoring Land, Restoring Hope is not only an environmental agenda, but a development and resilience priority. As drought intensifies and land degradation accelerates, the conference must drive practical, investable solutions — from restoring degraded land and soils to strengthening the land–water nexus — so that communities can thrive."

Conference Opportunity

COP17 offers a pivotal moment for countries and partners to strengthen implementation and mobilize greater investment in drought resilience and sustainable land management.

Key Focus Areas

• Desertification solutions

• Land degradation reversal

• Drought resilience

• Sustainable land management

• Land restoration

• Water–land nexus

• Food security through land restoration

• Displacement prevention

• Human and national security

• Investment mobilization

Who Should Attend

• Government delegates from UNCCD Parties

• Policymakers in environment and agriculture

• Business leaders in land management

• Civil society organizations

• Scientists and researchers studying land degradation

• Youth advocates for environmental action

• Indigenous Peoples

• Pastoralists and smallholder farmers

• Development practitioners

• Investment professionals

• Water resource managers

• Climate resilience specialists

Conference Value

You'll engage with practical, investable solutions for restoring degraded land and soils. The conference connects environmental restoration with development priorities, recognizing land as critical infrastructure for food security, water, livelihoods, and stability.

COP17 provides opportunities to strengthen implementation of land restoration commitments and mobilize investment in drought resilience and sustainable land management.

Event Details

• Dates: August 17-28, 2026

• Location: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

• Host: Mongolia

• Theme: Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.

• Parties: 197 UNCCD Parties

• Focus: Desertification, land degradation, drought, resilience, sustainable land management

• Format: International conference with government, business, civil society, and community participation

Visit the official UNCCD website for registration information, program details, and participation guidelines for COP17.