UN land talks accelerating action in rangelands but need to plug USD 278 billion financing gap to turn ambition into impact

At UNCCD COP17’s halfway point, negotiators have made strides in advancing action in grasslands, savannahs and rangelands, providing potential for a formal decision during this COP that can catalyse investment, multistakeholder action and legal frameworks to protect, sustainably manage and restore these once-overlooked and underfunded landscapes.

Progress in negotiations is matched by COP17 Presidency-led action, with the launch of the Rangelands Flagship Initiative, valued at USD 1.2 billion across more than 40 projects. Progress has also been made in recognising the importance of soil health and adopting nature-positive agricultural practices to protect and restore degraded land.

The test for the final week of the summit will be if this promise translates into agreement, finance and implementation. With a USD 278 billion annual land restoration finance gap, significantly greater investment will be needed to turn ambition into action. The private sector, currently contributing just 6% of restoration funding, can significantly increase investment, while innovative finance mechanisms such as blended finance can unlock new funding.

“For COP17 to move from action to implementation, there must be progress both inside and outside negotiation rooms. Thankfully, for rangelands and grasslands, this is happening. We are long past time that these ecosystems are prioritised, given their crucial role in delivering land, nature, climate and development goals. But recognition is only the first step: we know the solutions that work and the crucial role that adopting nature-positive agriculture will play. Implementation rests on finance being unlocked. The pledges made so far at COP17 are the first step in providing what’s needed and to leaving a lasting legacy,” said Joao Campari, Global Food & Agriculture Leader, WWF.

Additionally, attention must turn to the areas where agreement remains elusive, particularly drought and stronger alignment across the Rio Conventions. Negotiations on drought, carried over from UNCCD COP16 where a formal decision could not be reached, are stalled with divisions remaining between those seeking a legally binding drought protocol and those preferring a voluntary or flexible framework. Although many countries and regions are already looking ahead to drought preparedness and resilience, Parties failing to agree a way forward can delay coordinated action and support for the countries that need it most.

“Droughts are becoming more common and more severe because of climate change and land degradation. Negotiators at COP17 have several options on the table to improve drought preparedness and drought resilience. We can’t afford implementation to be delayed until Parties hold yet more talks at COP18. We want to see ambitious consensus from Parties and swift action to tackle the ever-worsening impacts on people and nature,” said Christine Colvin, Head of Freshwater Policy, WWF.

Formal discussions on strengthening cooperation between the Rio Conventions have yet to begin, making progress in this final week particularly important. While lack of a formal agreement on synergies would be disappointing, stakeholders can still make progress by strengthening the Action Agenda outside negotiations, through processes led by the Joint Liaison Group and the COP Presidencies, and multistakeholder platforms that run alongside COP proceedings.

Progress on these issues, alongside increased finance, will determine how far COP17 succeeds in turning political momentum into implementation.

ENDS