Bangladesh, Aug. 20 -- The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), scheduled to take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 17 to 28 under the theme “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope,” arrives at a critical moment for the planet. The conference brings together representatives from the UNCCDs 197 parties, scientists, civil society organizations, Indigenous peoples and private-sector actors to confront one of the most interconnected environmental and socioeconomic challenges of our time: the accelerating degradation of land and the growing threat of drought.

The choice of Mongolia as host carries particular significance. Around 77 percent of Mong...