Mongolia welcomes Silk Road Caravan ahead of UNCCD COP17

Mongolia has welcomed the Silk Road Caravan, a global campaign highlighting the importance of rangelands and pastoral communities, ahead of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).The Caravan arrived in Mongolia after travelling more than 6,000 kilometres across Eurasia, with its final journey taking place ahead of COP17, scheduled in Ulaanbaatar from August 17 to 28.Launched by the UNCCD in support of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026, the initiative began in Türkiye in May and passed through the Russian Federation, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and China.
Throughout the journey, pastoralists, scientists, policymakers, young people and local communities exchanged experiences on restoring degraded rangelands and improving resilience to drought and climate change.UNCCD Executive Secretary Dr Yasmine Fouad said the journey had demonstrated the importance of local communities in protecting and restoring rangelands. She stressed that restoration requires different approaches suited to local conditions and greater investment in the people who have traditionally cared for these landscapes.Mongolian officials said the Caravan's arrival was particularly significant because of the country's deep-rooted pastoral traditions. Rangelands cover around 70 per cent of Mongolia's territory, supporting the livelihoods of roughly one-third of its population.
Globally, rangelands cover about 54 per cent of the Earth's land surface, support around two billion people and provide nearly 70 per cent of livestock feed. However, up to half of the world's rangelands are estimated to be degraded, threatening biodiversity, food security and rural livelihoods.
Mongolia Faces Growing Land Degradation Risks
Mongolia's vast pastoral landscapes are facing increasing pressure from climate change and land degradation. Nearly 77 per cent of the country's land is affected by degradation, while droughts have become more frequent.The country has also experienced a sharp rise in sand and dust storms. During 2023-24, a severe summer drought followed by a harsh winter, known as dzud, resulted in the deaths of more than seven million livestock.The crisis highlighted the vulnerability of pastoral communities to increasingly severe weather extremes and reinforced the need for stronger drought preparedness and sustainable rangeland management.The Caravan's Mongolian leg will include visits to restoration projects and meetings with nomadic herder families, researchers, local authorities and pastoral cooperatives.Participants will travel from the Gobi Desert to central Mongolia, visiting sites including Hustai National Park, the UNESCO-listed Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape and the Ramsar-listed Ugii Lake. They will also take part in the Mini Naadam festival and activities marking the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.The journey will conclude in Ulaanbaatar, where participants will join international delegates for UNCCD COP17.
COP17 to Focus on Land, Drought and Rangelands
COP17 will bring together governments, scientists, Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists, civil society groups, businesses and international organisations to discuss practical measures to combat land degradation, desertification and drought.The conference is expected to contribute to the global agenda on land restoration and sustainable rangeland management, with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists placing particular emphasis on the role of pastoral communities.Mongolian officials said hosting the final stage of the Silk Road Caravan offered an opportunity to connect the country's nomadic heritage with global efforts to address land degradation and climate change.As the Caravan completes its journey in Mongolia, organisers hope the experiences gathered across Eurasia will help translate local knowledge and restoration initiatives into stronger international cooperation at COP17.