What happened at UNCCD CoP17 (Ministerial Dialogue on rangelands and pastoralists)
India urged community-led restoration of rangelands at the 17th Conference of Parties (CoP17) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, spoke at the ministerial dialogue titled “Restoration of Rangelands and the Well-being of Pastoralist Communities,” presenting India’s approach as science-led and community-centered.
India’s main position: pastoralists as custodians, not just beneficiaries
Shri Bhupender Yadav argued that successful restoration starts with pastoralists as custodians of rangelands. He said restoration outcomes improve when traditional knowledge and modern science are combined, producing ecological soundness, economic viability, and social inclusion.
The minister linked rangelands to broad ecosystem functions and human needs, stating that India’s rangelands span multiple landscapes and support both livestock and human populations, including across Himalayan pastures, Central Indian savannas, arid regions such as Thar and Kachchh, and Southern sholas.