Land and People Day

Land degradation already affects up to 40 per cent of the planet, affecting billions of people and costing the world up to USD 900 billion annually. This has profound implications for economies and societies. 

At the same time, land restoration is a cost-effective, nature-based solution to the interlinked challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation that reinforces synergies across the three Rio Conventions and contributes to the achievement of broader Sustainable Development Goals.

Rangelands cover 54 per cent of the Earth's terrestrial surface yet remain among the most undervalued ecosystems. Today, nearly 500 million pastoralists are stewarding 45 per cent of these landscapes, with another two billion people benefiting along the value chain. In conjunction with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026, the Land and People Day will focus on strengthening understanding of the links between ecosystems, cultural diversity, and sustainable pastoral systems in support of more inclusive, rights-based, and equitable approaches to land governance.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are facing growing impacts from harsher droughts and the loss of fertile soils. SIDS are home to nearly 74 million people, for whom the loss of even tiny areas of productive land compromises their food, water and energy security; increases the transmission of infectious diseases; and undermines rural livelihoods, with women and girls being the hardest hit.

Similarly, many Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), whose economies often depend heavily on land-based natural resources and climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture and livestock, face escalating challenges from land degradation, drought and desertification. The thematic day will examine how restoration of ecosystems and land-based resources including land, soil, water and forests in fragile and conflict-affected settings can contribute to promoting stability and peace-building.

Land and People Day at COP17 will place the voices of land stewards at the heart of discussions, highlighting the invaluable perspectives and traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists, youth, women, local communities and civil society organizations. We invite you to explore the Day's programme of events.