Brazil to Join COP17 on Desertification in Mongolia

Starting Monday, Aug. 17, Brazil will send representatives to the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) on desertification in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where 196 countries and the EU will discuss land degradation, drought and biodiversity loss. Brazil’s pavilion in the conference’s Blue Zone will host debates, showcase technologies, public policies and NGO projects. The country’s desertification crisis—affecting 18 % of its territory and about 39 million people, especially in the Caatinga biome—will be a key focus. COP17, themed “Restoring the Land. Restoring Hope,” is held in Mongolia during the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, underscoring the region’s vulnerability to drought. UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad stressed the need for early action to prevent cascading impacts. Brazil previously hosted COP3 in 1999 and is now positioning itself as a leader in global desertification solutions.