For centuries, Rangeland and pastoralist communities have been the backbone of cultures, economies and ecosystems around the world.
These huge landscapes, which cover more than half of the land surface of the earth, support two billion people and contribute significantly to global nutritional security and the resistance of the climate. However, they are largely invisible in international political discussions and slowly deteriorated under the pressure of climate change, the non -sustainable land use and economic expansion.
At the UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, the nations took a decisive step by saying goodbye to a decision about Rangeland and pastoralists and classified an unprecedented commitment to protect these critical ecosystems and the people who depend on them. This commitment represents a fundamental change that, in addition to forests and wetlands, places grazing land in global conservation efforts and ensures that their role in the resistance of the climate, the preservation of biological diversity and nutritional safety is fully recognized.
Why Rangelands are more important than ever
Rangelands and grasslands offer a sixth of global food supply and store almost a third of the planet's carbon stocks in their deeply rooted soils. They are of crucial importance for small farmers, farmers and indigenous communities, but more than 50 percent of these ecosystems are now worsened.
As Ibrahim Thiaw, executive secretary of the United Nations Convention to combat desertification (UNCCD), Warns that their decline is often overlooked: “When a forest is destroyed, the loss is visible and causes immediate concern. But the deterioration in the Rangeland is quiet, often unnoticed and undervalued.” He emphasizes the urgent need for global measures to protect these landscapes before it is too late.
Apart from their economic importance, healthy wrangling stabilizes the soil, prevent erosion, regulate the water cycles, improve biological diversity and store carbon – essential functions in the fight against climate change. Despite their immense ecological value, these landscapes have received far less attention and financing than forests and wetlands.
The United Nations General Assembly recognized this supervision and declared in 2026 as the INternational year of the Rangelands and pastoralists (Iyrp)A global initiative that should highlight the indispensable contributions of Rangelands and pastoralist communities in the health and economies of our planet.
A pioneering decision at COP16
For the first time, the UNCCD parties made the decision to promote sustainable management, restoration and preservation of Rangeland's huge ecosystems for grazing – before COP17, which was organized by Mongolia in 2026.
The countries have undertaken to improve the country rights of the pastoralists by aligning themselves with international guidelines, strengthening legal protection and ensuring access to Rangeland. The decision also emphasizes the value of indigenous and local knowledge in sustainable land management and recognizes the role of traditional pastoral practices in maintaining these ecosystems for future generations. Obligation to mobilize public-private partnerships was carried out, organizing biological diversity and developing innovative financing models to ensure long-term investments.
This decisive shift has ended decades of neglect and places Rangeland at the center of global sustainability efforts. It corresponds to the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the UN decade to restore ecosystems and strengthen its integration into national biodiversity and climategies and action plans. Since Mongolia will organize UncCD COP17 in 2026, the global community has the unique opportunity to consolidate Rangeland as the focus of environmental policy. Plans for the development of an UNCCD flagship initiative for Rangelands are already being carried out, which promote international cooperation, enable large-scale funds for restoration and facilitates the exchange of knowledge between scientists and pastoral communities.
However, systemic challenges remain. Contradictory land use policy, economic pressure and a lack of formal recognition of the rights of the pastoralists continue to threaten the sustainability of Rangeland. Many pastoralist communities are exposed to land conversion, mining and large -scale agricultural projects that prioritize short -term economic profits compared to the health of long -term ecosystems. The treatment of these topics requires an integrated approach that combines scientific research, political reform and traditional land management.
Translate obligations in action
“The obligations at UNCCD COP16 mark a turning point, but success depends on continuing cooperation. Governments have to work closely with pastoralists and cattle value chain agents, nature conservation groups and financial institutions in order to scale investments through sustainable financing and innovative instruments. “Said Enrique Michaud Co-Chairman of the Iyrp Global Alliance. “The securing of the country rights of the pastoralists is crucial to prevent shift and conflicts, to ensure access to their traditional Rangeland and to strengthen the ecosystem services they provided.”
Sustainable pasture and land use planning must harmonize the conservation efforts with the economic realities of livelihood the pastoral livelihood and promote land management strategies that maintain the health of the ecosystems and at the same time support the local economy. The preservation of the wrangling country must also be fully integrated into national and global climate adaptation strategies to ensure that these landscapes contribute to long -term resistance to climate change and desert formation.
The guarantee of Rangeland's sustainability is not just an environment – it is a necessity for climate services, sovereignty of food and cultural preservation. Since the UNCCD parties and partners prepare for COP17, the dynamics generated at COP16 must be translated into real actions.
Around UNCCD
The United Nations Convention to combat Desertification (UNCCD) is an international agreement on the administration of Guten Land. It helps people to create communities and countries, to expand prosperity, to expand economies and to secure enough food, clean water and energy by enabling land users to have an environment for sustainable land management. Through partnerships, the 197 parties of the convention have set up robust systems in order to manage the drought immediately and effectively. Good land responsibility based on solid politics and science helps with the integration and acceleration of the goals of sustainable development, builds up resistance to climate change and prevents the loss of biological diversity.
https://unccd.int
About the International Year of Rangeland and Pastoralists
In the initiative of Mongolia, the General Assembly of the United Nations 2026 described the International Year of Rangeland and Pastoralists (Iyrp 2026) to improve the Rangeland Management and the Life of the Pastoralists. With this declaration, UN member states are asked to invest in sustainable wrangland management, to restore deteriorated areas, to improve market access by pastoralists, to improve the services to expand animal fabrics and to close knowledge gaps in relation to Rangelands and pastoralism. The Iyrp 2026 coincides with the UNCCD COP17, which is organized by Mongolia.
https://iyrp.info