India Advocates Community-Led Rangeland Restoration at UNCCD CoP17

What Happened

India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has called for community-led restoration of rangelands at the 17th Conference of Parties (CoP17) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Union Environment Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav addressed the Ministerial Dialogue on “Restoration of Rangelands and the Well-being of Pastoralist Communities,” outlining India's approach which centers on community participation.

Key Facts

• The call for community-led restoration was made by India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change at UNCCD CoP17.
• The event took place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on August 26, 2026.
• Shri Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, stated that India's approach integrates Landscape Management and Livelihood Support, with Community Participation at its core.
• He emphasized that “Successful restoration begins with Pastoralists as Custodians, not merely Beneficiaries.”
• India's rangelands span diverse landscapes, including Himalayan pastures, Central Indian savannas, arid Thar, Kachchh regions, and Southern sholas.
• The country has approximately 10 million hectares of permanent pastures and grazing lands.
• India highlighted traditional systems like Orans in Rajasthan and approximately 25,000 community-protected sacred groves, covering about 0.6 million hectares, as examples of community stewardship.
• The Minister called for enhanced access to finance, technology, and knowledge for developing countries pursuing Land Degradation Neutrality, and offered India's experience through South-South cooperation.

Why It Matters

This initiative underscores India's commitment to addressing land degradation through a model that recognizes the central role of local communities. The emphasis on pastoralists as custodians rather than just beneficiaries signals a shift towards more inclusive and sustainable environmental policies with potential for broader international collaboration.

What To Watch

Future discussions at UNCCD and within South-South cooperation frameworks will likely focus on the implementation of such community-centric rangeland restoration models. The extent of dedicated financing and technology transfer for rangeland restoration, particularly in developing countries, will be a key area to monitor.