COP 17 Mayors' Forum

  • 20–22 August 2026 | UNCCD COP17 Blue Zone

Aerial view of a savanna landscape with scattered trees, grassland, group of people and vehicles.

The UNCCD COP17 Mayors' Forum, "Local Leadership for Land Resilience: Cities Advancing Sustainable Futures," brings mayors and city leaders into the heart of the global response to land degradation, desertification, drought and water scarcity. Held from 20 to 22 August 2026 in the Blue Zone of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the Forum is hosted by the Governor's Office of the Capital City of Ulaanbaatar and co-organized by the UNCCD Secretariat, UN-Habitat and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.

More than half of the world's population lives in cities today, a share expected to reach 68 percent by 2050. This makes urban areas central to solving the interconnected challenges of land degradation, water scarcity and climate change. Building on earlier mayors' forums held in Bonn, Rome, Ordos and Riyadh, this Forum brings together mayors, local and regional governments, international organizations, city networks, financial institutions, academia and the private sector for policy dialogue, technical exchange and city-to-city cooperation.

The Forum will conclude with the adoption of the Ulaanbaatar Declaration, to be presented at the UNCCD COP17 High-Level Segment. Download the full concept note below for the detailed program and objectives.

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