UN Chief Urges Global Investment in Land Restoration at COP17

UN Convention to Combat Desertification Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad opened the COP17 conference in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, by identifying China as a primary example of how large-scale land degradation can be reversed. Fouad specifically praised the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, launched in 1978, noting that China's success resulted from integrating ecological restoration with national planning and rural livelihoods.

Despite these examples, Fouad warned that a critical annual financing gap of 278 billion U.S. dollars threatens global restoration goals. She argued that while the necessary solutions exist, the primary challenge is taking those solutions to scale.

Fouad urged governments attending the summit to shift their focus from ambition to implementation. She called for the mobilization of investment and the strengthening of drought preparedness, with a particular emphasis on supporting pastoral communities and rangelands.