Wetlands International at UNCCD COP17
With large parts of the world reeling from droughts and wildfires, thousands of delegates will gather in Mongolia at the end of August for the conference the ‘Land Convention’ – and Wetlands International will be there to advocate for a greater focus on wetlands in the Convention and, critically, in national and global efforts to combat desertification, land degradation and drought.
Headed by our CEO, the Wetlands International delegation will be our largest ever at a UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP, highlighting how important it is that freshwater wetlands, including peatlands, are high up the agenda throughout the conference.
Long overshadowed by the other two UN Rio Conventions (aka the Climate and Nature Conventions), the UNCCD is attracting far more attention now as countries seek to speed up efforts to halt and reverse desertification and degradation. Alarmingly, up to 40% of the world’s land is already degraded, threatening billions of people worldwide and costing economies an estimated US$900 billion annually. Meanwhile, the world has also lost over 22% of its remaining wetlands since 1970, increasing water stress and vulnerability.
There is an urgent need to accelerate action to have any hope of achieving the Convention’s central goal of Land Degradation Neutrality by 2030, which is inseparably linked to water security, wetland health and drought resilience. COP17 aims to do exactly that by bringing together representatives from 197 member countries, business, finance, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists, and farmers under the theme Restoring Land, Restoring Hope. With less than five years to go, this is a pivotal moment.
And we will be in Ulaanbaatar, working with others, including our national partner (Wildlife Science and Conservation Center of Mongolia (WSCC)) to help deliver wins for wetlands, building on the growing recognition of wetlands within UNCCD processes, the COP16 decision mandating the Convention to work on water management, and the fact that the world is finally waking up to the central role of healthy wetlands in reversing land degradation.
- Highlight the role of wetlands in tackling desertification, land degradation and drought:
At COP16, the Riyadh Political Declaration included water but overlooked the specific role of wetlands. With partners, we will advocate for explicit recognition of wetlands in the COP17 political outcomes and the Post-2030 Strategic Framework. With the drought decision set for adoption at COP17, we will advocate for stronger references to wetlands as nature-based solutions to drought. - Collaborate with partners to ensure adoption of key decisions:
Including the critical decision on drought, which was not adopted at the previous COP. - Integrate wetlands into Land Degradation Neutrality targets and drought plans
We will call on Parties to include quantified wetland restoration and protection targets within their LDN targets and drought resilience plans, and to align these with their commitments under the CBD Global Biodiversity Framework as well as the freshwater ecosystems resolution adopted last year at Convention on Wetlands COP15 in Zimbabwe. - Elevate Freshwater Challenge and Peatlands Breakthrough and showcase wetland solutions
Wetlands International plays a central role in both voluntary, global initiatives – the Freshwater Challenge and Peatland Breakthrough – both of which can help accelerate implementation of national commitments under the UNCCD (which is a Core Partner of the Freshwater Challenge). We will also highlight some of our successful projects in regions that are particularly vulnerable to drought and degradation, including our peatland restoration programme in Mongolia with our local partner, WSCC, and supported by Greenchoice, and our Water, Peace and Security project in the Inner Niger Delta supported by the Netherlands government and other partners. - Advocate for synergies across the Rio Conventions and with the Convention on Wetlands
At COP16, references to the three Rio Conventions were strong but the Convention on Wetlands was never explicitly mentioned. We aim for formal recognition of the Ramsar Convention as a key partner, positioning water and wetlands as critical connectors between all these Conventions.
Wetlands International Events
Along with policy advocacy, a critical component of our work at COP17 will revolve around a series of high-level wetlands events that we are co-hosting (see below). Members of our delegation will be also be speaking and participating in a number of other important events during the convention:
Wetlands as powerful solutions to combat drought, land degradation and desertification
This official event will showcase the role of healthy wetlands in addressing DLDD – helping to accelerate investment in wetland action, inspire countries to join the Freshwater Challenge & Peatland Breakthrough, and encourage Parties to integrate wetlands into their LDN and Drought Plans.
Peatlands as Nature-based Solutions for LDN, Drought Resilience and Climate Action
This official side event will highlight the importance of healthy, wet peatlands in enhancing drought resilience. It will emphasize the urgent need to update countries’ peatland inventories to underpin evidence-based decision-making and showcase the Mongolian Peatlands Initiative.
From Victoria Falls to Ulaanbaatar: wetlands as the heart of integrated land and water resilience
The High-Level session will offer a vital platform to build on the momentum of the Convention on Wetlands’ COP15 — especially its call to protect and restore freshwater ecosystems. It will also position wetlands as a connecting thread across water, biodiversity, land and climate governance ahead of the forthcoming CBD and UNFCCC COPs and the UN Water Conference. Speakers include ministers and high level representatives from Armenia, Brazil, Turkiye & Zimbabwe as well as the Ramsar SG and Wetlands International CEO.
The Freshwater Challenge: Accelerating Drought Resilience for a Water Secure World
Building on the UNCCD COP16 Riyadh Action Agenda, of which the Freshwater Challenge is a flagship initiative, this side event will explore how healthy freshwater ecosystems underpin LDN and drought resilience, and how countries can leverage the FWC to advance national strategies and strengthen synergies across the Rio Conventions, the Convention on Wetlands & the UN Water Conference.
Other key events for Wetlands International include:
- August 14-15 – Pre-COP field trip with our Mongolian partner, Wildlife Science and Conservation Center of Mongolia, to a Peatland Restoration Project, funded by Greenchoice (August 14-15)
- August 18 – Side Event – National rangeland monitoring network, including soil trends – with Tatiana Minayeva, Associate Expert with Wetlands International (10:30-12:00)
- August 19 – Side Event – Wetlands for Healthy Drylands: Building Climate & Drought Resilience, hosted by WSCC with speaker from Wetlands International (13:00-14:30)
- August 20 – Side Event – Building Scientific Foundation for a Resilient GoBI, hosted by WSCC with Wetlands International participating (10:30-12:00 Green Zone)
- August 21 – Side Event – Nationally Determined Contribution and land degradation issue, with Tatiana Minayeva, Associate Expert with Wetlands International (15:00-16:30)
- August 22 – Side Event – Drylands in focus: tackling drought across the Rio Conventions, Convention on Wetlands and Sendai Framework with speaker from Wetlands (08:30-10:00)
- August 24 Side Event – Climate Adaptation Finance with Eva Hernandez, Global Peatland Lead at Wetlands International, speaking (15:00-16:30 Green Zone)
- August 25 – Water Day – with participation from Wetlands International throughout the day
- August 26 – Side Event – Classical Pastoralism and the Tragedy of Commons with with Tatiana Minayeva, Associate Expert with Wetlands International (13:00-14:30)
- August 26 – Gala of Hope Land Edition: Celebrating the New UN World Restoration Flagships
