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From the Arctic tundra to the steppe, signs of soil fatigue, erosion and degradation are emerging — and with them, a warning: no region is immune. Land degradation is no longer a remote concern confined to arid zones — it has become a shared, urgent global crisis. Countries with vastly different climates, geographies and land use systems are now grappling with its impacts. The evolving understanding that land degradation transcends climate zones, with implications for food security, climate resilience and economic stability across continents, has placed the issue firmly on the global agenda. Recognizing this, the UNCCD — the only legally binding international agreement focused on land and soil — is prioritizing collaboration across regions and sectors to successfully address these challenges. Russia, once perceived as largely outside the desertification-prone zones, is now facing land degradation on multiple fronts. Although deserts make up only a small fraction of its vast territory, 85 per cent of the country’s primary agricultural production relies on just 7 per cent of the land — land that is now showing signs of vulnerability. In 2023 alone, 1.1 million hectares were officially recognized as disturbed, with the area expanding by 42,000 hectares each year. Industrial activity is the dominant factor, with agriculture contributing 18 per cent of the degradation. These realities were the backdrop to a recent roundtable at the UN House in Moscow, convened to reflect on the outcomes of UNCCD’s 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) and their relevance for Russia. Organized by the Nature and People Foundation — the first and only accredited Russian observer to the Convention — the meeting brought together stakeholders from government, academia, civil society and international organizations.  One of the roundtable’s core messages echoed a major takeaway from COP16: land degradation must be addressed across all ecosystems, including boreal and Arctic regions. Russian scientists noted that methodologies initially designed to assess desertification in drylands are now being effectively adapted to northern environments. This evolving approach reflects the latest science, which connects soil health, climate resilience, biodiversity and food security in a synergetic framework. Representing the UNCCD, the Chief of Science, Technology and Innovation Mr. Johns Muleso Kharika noted that “the shift from dealing exclusively with desertification and drought to addressing the silent crisis that is land degradation in all ecosystems demonstrates a strategic evolution in addressing the problem. The Convention engages a wide range of countries who face land degradation caused by deforestation, urban sprawl, soil erosion and other polluting factors,” he added, emphasizing the role of science as a key factor in shaping  future-facing solutions. Nikolay Doronin, First Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Public Chamber Commission on Ecology, highlighted that in 2023, 1.1 million hectares of land were classified as damaged— 0.06 per cent of Russia’s area, exceeding the size of Cyprus or Lebanon and comparable to Qatar. This area is growing by 42,000 hectares annually, with 18 per cent located in agricultural zones. New technologies — including satellite monitoring, advanced planting materials and biotech-based restoration techniques — are becoming essential tools. Russia’s scientific institutions are contributing to emerging approaches in land monitoring, classification and adaptive restoration. But the impact of these efforts depends on national coordination, investment and political will. Private sector engagement was another theme, with businesses urged to take greater responsibility for the lands they affect — particularly given that many degraded areas fall within or near industrial zones. The message was clear: land degradation is not someone else’s problem — and reversing it demands responsibility and action from all sectors. Looking ahead to COP17 in Mongolia, Russian organizations are already preparing new inputs — including scientific findings and policy recommendations — drawing on their experience in land monitoring, scientific exchange and cross-sectoral planning. The roundtable made it clear that land degradation is no longer seen as a fringe issue. As the Convention’s agenda continues to evolve and as land degradation increasingly transcends national and ecological boundaries, one conclusion stands out: desertification is no longer a localized issue — and Russia is bringing both long-standing commitment and fresh scientific insight to the table. Land degradation knows no borders. And neither should the solutions. For more about the meeting, follow this link. Photo (c): naturepeople.org

Three independent scientists will soon have the opportunity to contribute to shaping the future direction of the UNCCD through participation in the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Future Strategic Framework (IWG-FSF).This expert group, established by Decision 4/COP.16, will support the development of key elements for a post-2030 strategic framework. Its work will include a review of the current UNCCD goals and indicators, ensuring future efforts to combat desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) are informed by robust, science-based evidence and aligned with global sustainability processes.The IWG-FSF will comprise regional representatives and technical experts, including three independent scientists selected through an open call launched on 5 June 2025, following the approval of the group’s terms of reference. The selection will be based on criteria outlined in the approved terms. Please note that the earlier call issued on 19 May 2025 has been withdrawn. Interested applicants are requested to resubmit their applications.An interim report on the group’s progress is expected at CRIC 23 in December 2025.

《联合国防治荒漠化公约》（UNCCD）缔约方第十七届会议（COP17）将于 2026 年 8 月 17 日至 28 日在蒙古首都乌兰巴托举行。  这一具有里程碑意义的全球盛会将汇聚来自 197 个缔约方的代表、国家元首、部长、国际组织、科学界、民间社会和私营部门的代表，共同探讨并制定应对荒漠化、土地退化和干旱等一系列相互关联挑战的解决方案。  蒙古幅员辽阔，国土面积达 156 万平方公里，其中约 76.9%的土地正在经历退化。蒙古认识到土地管理在应对三重环境危机中的关键作用，因此在全球防治荒漠化和提高土地韧性的努力中扮演了关键角色。蒙古雄心勃勃的发展议程，尤其在环境和农业领域相互关联的全国举措，使该国成为 COP17 具有战略意义的主办国。 COP17将与联合国“2026年国际牧场与牧民年”（IYRP 2026）同期举行，为全球提供一个重要契机，聚焦可持续牧场管理问题，以及全球十多亿直接依赖这些关键生态系统谋生人群的需求。 在为期两周的会议期间，与会者将参加高级别会议，包括部长级对话、多利益相关方论坛，以及围绕科学与政策融合、创新实践、技术应用、解决方案和融资机制的专题讨论。此次会议将促进跨部门的合作和行动，推动可持续土地管理、生态系统和土地恢复目标的实现，以及土地退化零增长（LDN）目标的实现。 为第十七届缔约方大会造势，提高公众意识和青年参与度，蒙古发起了一系列国家倡议，其中一项即将开展的重要活动是“青年护土地”（ "Youth4Land "）全国论坛。该论坛定于 2025 年 6 月 16-17 日在敦戈维省的曼达尔戈维市举行，以纪念荒漠化和干旱日。该论坛将汇集 100 多名青年牧民、研究人员和决策者，共同设计融合传统知识与科学证据的可持续土地解决方案。这一国家倡议是蒙古为落实往届UNCCD缔约方会议成果和促进包容性参与所做努力的一部分。 蒙古强有力的发展和环境议程——包括‘十亿棵树’植树造林运动、‘白色黄金’社区主导的农村发展倡议（注：指羊绒经济），以及‘粮食革命’农业土壤改善项目——使该国成为地区和全球的行动典范。 主办第十七届缔约方会议将为提升土地、气候与生物多样性领域的国际合作提供一个历史性的契机。 这场关键会议将标志着全球在携手应对土地退化与气候挑战方面迈出重要一步，进一步彰显蒙古为建设可持续且具有韧性的未来所作出的重要贡献。 如需了解更多信息，请联系 《联合国防治荒漠化公约》新闻办公室，press@unccd.int , https://www.unccd.int/, @unccd 蒙古环境与气候变化部 https://www.mecc.gov.mn 关于《联合国防治荒漠化公约》 《联合国防治荒漠化公约》（UNCCD）是全球土地的愿景和代言人。我们将各国政府、科学家、决策者、私营部门和社区团结在一个共同愿景和全球行动周围，为人类和地球的可持续发展恢复和管理世界土地。UNCCD不仅仅是一项由197个缔约方签署的国际条约，它还是一项多边承诺，旨在减轻当今土地退化的影响，促进未来的土地管理，从而以公平和包容的方式为所有人提供食物、水、住房和经济机会。 https://unccd.int 关于国际牧场和牧民年  在蒙古的倡议下，联合国大会将2026年定为 "国际牧场和牧民年"（IYRP 2026），以加强牧场管理，改善牧民生活。这一宣言呼吁联合国会员国投资于可持续牧场管理，恢复退化的土地，改善牧民的市场准入，加强畜牧业推广服务，填补牧场和畜牧业方面的知识空白。2026 年国际牧场和牧民年将与蒙古主办的《联合国防治荒漠化公约》第十七届缔约方会议同期举行。 https://iyrp.info  

The United Nations Secretary-General, following consultation with the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), announced the appointment of Yasmine Fouad of Egypt as the next Executive Secretary of the UNCCD.  Serving as Minister of Environment of Egypt since 2018, Yasmine Fouad is an expert in environmental diplomacy with over 25 years of experience in environmental governance, global environmental themes and international climate diplomacy. She has a proven track record in designing and implementing institutional and systemic reforms for sustainable development. She holds a Ph.D. in Euro-Mediterranean Studies, Cairo University, and an M.Sc. in Environmental Science, Ain Shams University. She is fluent in English and Arabic.Welcoming the announcement made yesterday in New York, UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw said: “Yasmine Fouad brings with her a wealth of experience and deep commitment to the environment and sustainable development. I warmly congratulate her on her appointment and have full confidence that she will bring new energy and vision to the role.”Ms. Fouad will be the fifth UNCCD Executive Secretary, succeeding Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw of Mauritania, Ms. Monique Barbut of France, Mr. Luc Gnacadja of Benin and Mr. Hama Arba Diallo of Burkina Faso. The Secretary-General expressed his deep gratitude to Mr. Thiaw "for his dedicated service and outstanding commitment to the Organization".Ms. Fouad will commence her first three-year term in office later this year.

Land degradation is a global crisis—one that is reshaping landscapes, livelihoods and futures. Each year, vast areas of productive lands are lost, affecting nearly half of humanity and costing the global economy an estimated US$878 billion. In Latin America, over 20 per cent of arable land is already degraded due to deforestation, overgrazing and other types of unsustainable land use. At the heart of the UNCCD is the belief that land is not only a natural resource—it is a source of life, identity and resilience. But while policies and data help define the challenge, it is the stories from the ground that bring its true scale and urgency into focus. Here is where ReVerde plays a crucial role. The documentary-style television programme gives voice to the people behind the headlines—those living with and responding to the impacts of land degradation. From Indigenous communities to small-scale farmers, from urban collectives to rural cooperatives, the programme captures the diverse efforts underway to restore ecosystems, protect local resources and create sustainable alternatives. Aligned with the UNCCD’s vision for sustainable land stewardship, ReVerde explores both the challenges and the solutions. It highlights community-led restoration, the importance of ancestral knowledge and the risks posed by unregulated development. Ahead of this year's Desertification and Drought Day on 17 June 2025, hosted in Bogotá, Colombia, with the theme— “Restore the Land. Unlock the Opportunities.”— ReVerde stories remind us that restoration is not an abstract goal, but a daily effort being led by communities on the ground. The benefits are clear: land restoration can reverse more than US$1 trillion in agricultural productivity losses, strengthen food security for over a billion people and create millions of sustainable jobs. But to meet global targets, a significant funding gap—currently US$278 billion per year—must be closed. In telling the stories of land and those who care for it, ReVerde does more than inform—it inspires, builds understanding, sparks dialogue  and brings us closer to a future where land is restored, protected and valued for generations to come. In its next chapter, ReVerde turns its lens to the global observance of Desertification and Drought Day—continuing its mission to spotlight the people and places at the heart of our planet’s most pressing challenges. 

The UNCCD is forming an Intergovernmental Working Group on the Future Strategic Framework (IWG-FSF), as mandated by Decision 4/COP.16. This group will develop proposals for a post-2030 strategy, including potential goals and targets, and will review existing indicators to enhance national reporting on progress. In line with the Convention’s commitment to inclusive decision-making, civil society organizations (CSOs) will play a vital role in this process. The IWG-FSF will bring together three representatives from each regional group and five technical experts, one of whom will be a CSO representative. The UNCCD Secretariat, in collaboration with the CSO Panel, will oversee the selection of the CSO representative through a call for expressions of interest, ensuring compliance with the Terms of Reference and representativity criteria established by the Conference of the Parties. CSOs have long been integral to the work of the Convention, contributing to policy development, implementation and monitoring. At the recent UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, CSOs actively engaged in discussions on land tenure, sustainable land stewardship and drought resilience, highlighting the importance of grassroots engagement in combating desertification and land degradation. The CSO Panel, elected by accredited organizations, serves as a liaison between civil society and the UNCCD, ensuring that diverse voices inform decision-making processes.  The IWG-FSF is expected to present an interim report on its progress at the 23rd session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 23) in December 2025. This initiative underscores the UNCCD commitment to collaborative and inclusive approaches in addressing desertification, land degradation and drought. Photo: (c) IISD ENB/Anastasia Rodopoulou