Mongolia’s Desertification Summit: 196 Nations Meet as Drought Worsens

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia — Mongolia is hosting a major United Nations summit this week as land degradation and drought intensify across the globe. The UN Convention to Combat Desertification’s COP17 opened Monday in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, and runs through August 28. Delegates from 196 countries and the European Union have gathered for the two-week conference. Their goal is to coordinate international action against desertification—the process by which fertile land turns into desert—as well as to address worsening drought conditions. The meeting comes at a critical time. Scientists and policymakers warn that land degradation threatens food security and forces people from their homes. Hosting the talks puts Mongolia at the center of a crisis that is particularly acute in Asia and Africa, where drylands are expanding. COP17 aims to produce concrete commitments from member states on restoring degraded land and managing water resources more sustainably. The summit’s outcome is expected to shape global environmental policy for the next several years.