The 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) will take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from 17-28 August 2026 under the theme "Restoring Land, Restoring Hope." Mongolia is the first country in East and Central Asia to host a UNCCD COP, marking a historic moment for the region and for global action on land restoration.

Mongolia is among the countries most affected by desertification, with nearly 77 percent of its land degraded. The country’s vast rangelands support herder livelihoods, food security, biodiversity and cultural heritage, yet they are increasingly under pressure from climate change, overgrazing, drought, dust storms and declining pasture quality. Hosting COP17 is therefore especially significant: it allows Mongolia to bring global attention to the realities facing dryland communities while sharing practical experience in sustainable rangeland management, ecosystem restoration and community-led resilience.

UNDP Mongolia at COP17

UNDP supports efforts to translate global commitments on land restoration, drought resilience and sustainable land management into practical solutions that benefit people, nature and economies. UNDP has worked in Mongolia for 50 years, partnering with the Government and communities to advance sustainable, inclusive and resilient development.

UNDP Mongolia will co-host a series of side events at COP17:

• Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Advance Policy Coherence between the Rio Conventions and National Development Plan, 19 August 2026, 10:30- 12:00, MET-07 Blue zone
• Just Transitions in the Dust: Agents of Change Aligning Industry, Labour, and a Rights-Based Future, 20 August, 10:30- 12:00, MET-01 Blue zone
• Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue "Mongolia’s Path from Coal to Clean Heating Solutions in Ger Districts", 24 August 2026, 10:30 - 12:00, MET-01 Blue zone
• Turning Restoration into Resilience: Partnership Models that Scale, 24 August 2026, 15:00-17:00, Mongolia Pavillion Blue zone
• Folklore4Land — Living Knowledge for Land Restoration, 24 August, 18:00 - 19:30, MET-03 Blue zone
• Scaling Integrated Water and Land Resilience Solutions in Mongolia, 25 August, 08:30 - 10:00, MET-01 Blue zone
• High Level Dialogue on Investing in Gender Responsive Land Restoration: Mongolia, Global Lessons and the Ulaanbaatar Roadmap, 26 August 2026, 08:00 - 10:00, MET-01 Blue zone
• Threads of Change: Regenerative Fashion, Land Restoration and Economic Opportunities, 26 August, 10:30 - 12:00, MET-01 Blue zone
• Financing for Sustainable Rangeland Management: Mongolia's Participatory MRV System - A Replicable Model for Dryland Countries, 26 August, 18:00 - 19:30, MET-03 Blue zone