Why in News?
At UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, countries launched the first global investment initiative focused specifically on rangelands, with US$1.2 billion across 45 projects.
Key Details
- Rangelands include grasslands, savannas, shrublands and pastures used by wildlife and pastoral communities; the source notes they cover about 54% of Earth’s land surface.
- The new initiative aims to restore degraded rangelands and strengthen the livelihoods of people who depend on them.
- COP17 also unveiled the Drought Resilience Index, described as a tool for identifying specific vulnerabilities to drought.
- Mongolia’s broader Steppe Plan linked rangelands with water-land management and nature-based infrastructure.
Exam Connect
- UNCCD → UN convention focused on desertification, land degradation and drought
- COP17 → Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia