UN COP17 in Mongolia Pushes $12 Billion Plan to Fight Drought and Land Degradation

KUALA LUMPUR, AUGUST 2026 — Countries have gathered in Mongolia for the United Nations COP17 desertification summit, where efforts to combat drought and land degradation are taking centre stage as extreme weather intensifies around the world. The talks began on August 17 and will continue until August 28.

One of the summit’s main priorities is putting more than $12 billion in previously pledged funding into action. The money is intended to support vulnerable countries dealing with severe drought, deteriorating soil and declining agricultural productivity.

The funding is linked to the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, established during COP16 in Saudi Arabia in 2024. Under the initiative and related programmes, governments and institutions pledged $12 billion over seven years to support 74 countries affected by drought and land degradation.

UN Convention to Combat Desertification executive secretary Yasmine Fouad said food security is at the heart of the negotiations. Restoring degraded land can improve soil productivity, strengthen agriculture and help communities become more resilient to increasingly frequent drought.

More than 70 countries have submitted drought-management plans, but the challenge is now turning those strategies into practical projects. Proposed measures include improving irrigation efficiency, planting more drought-resistant crops and expanding rainwater storage for farmers.

Despite the new funding commitments, the scale of the challenge remains much larger. The UNCCD estimates that around $2.6 trillion will be needed by the end of the decade to restore degraded land, halt desertification, strengthen drought resilience and repair damaged soils worldwide.

Officials are also seeking greater involvement from the private sector, particularly industries such as food production and textiles that depend heavily on reliable access to water and agricultural resources. The $12 billion pledged so far has come from the public sector.

COP17 comes as extreme heat, wildfires and water shortages place growing pressure on agriculture and global food supplies, making drought resilience and land restoration increasingly important issues for governments worldwide.