ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA — In an opening address by the Prime Minister of Mongolia N.Uchral at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), he welcomed international delegations, world leaders, and environmental experts to Ulaanbaatar, calling for a decisive shift from global pledges to measurable, real-world execution.

Addressing the assembly, Prime Minister N.Uchral emphasized the shared existential challenge facing humanity:

"We are a family of 8.2 billion sharing one global home... Climate disasters, raging wildfires, drying rivers, extreme cold, and melting polar ice affect us all. Though our languages, cultures, and beliefs differ, our determination to protect our planet's future is one and the same."

A Nation on the Frontlines

Mongolia's role as host underscores its position on the frontlines of global climate change. With a population density of just two people per square kilometer, nearly 77% of Mongolia's territory is currently affected by desertification and land degradation.

In response, Mongolia has integrated land restoration into its core national strategy, highlighted by the flagship "One Billion Trees" national movement initiated by the President of Mongolia. The initiative targets holistic ecosystem restoration—protecting soil, water resources, and biodiversity while mitigating climate risks to nomadic pastoralists whose livelihoods, culture, and food security depend directly on healthy rangelands.

Bridging COP17 and the 2026 International Year of Rangelands

The host nation highlighted a historical alignment: the United Nations has declared 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, an initiative spearheaded by Mongolia.

At COP17, Mongolia aims to reframe global perception—positioning rangelands not merely as degraded lands, but as vital, value-generating ecosystems that connect food security, biodiversity, and community resilience. By combining centuries-old nomadic traditional knowledge with modern technology, pastoralism offers a living model of adaptation and sustainable land management.

The "Green Liberation" Initiative and Economic Reforms

To demonstrate how environmental protection can drive economic growth rather than restrict it, Prime Minister of Mongolia N.Uchral outlined key updates from its national "Green Liberation" policy framework:

• Legislative Action: Enactment of the country's baseline Climate Change Law.
• Streamlined Green Energy: Reduction of renewable energy permit processing times from 6 months down to 11 days, unlocking rapid investments in solar and wind power.
• Green Transit Networks: Use of electric vehicle infrastructure, establishing modern "Green Stations" inspired by Mongolia's historical postal relay system.
• Targeted Programs: Launch of the "Sunny Mongolia Herder" initiative, connecting herder livelihoods with sustainable pasture management, high-value eco-products, and carbon market opportunities.
• Innovation & Education: Development of nationwide "Smart Green Schools," legislative frameworks for cold-climate "Green Data Centers," and advanced satellite/AI monitoring for land use.

A 6-Point Call to Action for COP17

Urging the international community to move past declarations, Mongolia presented six priorities for the COP17 negotiations:

• Integrated Frameworks: Treat land, climate, and biodiversity as interconnected, holistic challenges.
• Restoration Finance: Scale up public-private partnerships and international financing for land restoration.
• Drought Resilience: Embed drought-resilient policies directly into core economic development planning.
• Local participation: Place pastoralists, indigenous groups, and local communities at the center of global land governance.
• Tech Transformation: Turn scientific research, remote sensing, and AI into actionable field solutions.
• Accountable performance: Build transparent implementation environments that turn climate pledges into verifiable results.

To support these goals, the Mongolian Presidential Office announced the launch of the National Green Lab, a public-private platform designed to prepare local green restoration projects for international finance and investment.

Closing the address, the Prime Minister N.Uchral reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating open, transparent, and consensus-driven negotiations:

"COP17 in the vast steppes of Mongolia must be a historic turning point where the world recognizes land restoration not as an isolated conservation goal, but as the foundation of human development, food security, and shared prosperity."