Nations pledge $1.3 billion for land restoration and drought resilience at UNCCD COP17

This funding, which includes $644.5 million in new commitments, will support 23 countries across five continents. The conference focused on accelerating action against land degradation, desertification, and drought, with a particular emphasis on African countries. UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad highlighted that the conference established the necessary political decisions, scientific evidence, financing mechanisms, and partnerships for implementation, though she cautioned that success depends on countries' post-conference actions.

Globally, up to 40 percent of land is degraded, and countries aim to restore over one billion hectares by 2030. A significant outcome was the launch of the Drought Resilience Investment Facility, a global catalytic financing platform co-created by the UNCCD and Luxembourg, aiming to mobilize up to $400 million for water security, sustainable agriculture, and land restoration. The Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership also advanced plans for a pooled fund to support 70 low- and lower-middle-income countries.

Parties agreed to continue negotiations on proactive drought management at COP18. The conference also introduced the Drought Resilience Index and placed rangelands and pastoralists at the center of the globa