UN desertification talks conclude in Mongolia

Representatives from nearly 200 countries concluded the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) talks in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Friday. The biennial conference focused on addressing land degradation, which affects up to 40% of the world's land, and the increasing frequency and intensity of droughts linked to climate change. Key outcomes included the launch of a rangelands initiative mobilizing $1.2 billion across 45 projects, a $2 billion commitment from the Asian Development Bank for land degradation efforts in Asia-Pacific, and the announcement of a Drought Resilience Investment Facility aiming to raise up to $400 million. However, countries failed to agree on a legally binding global drought agreement, postponing the decision to the next talks in Egypt in two years. The conference highlighted a $278 billion annual funding gap for land restoration, with current investment at $77 billion. Experts emphasized the link between healthy soil and water management for food security, and the need to move from drought plans to investment plans.