At UNCCD COP17, India calls for community-led rangeland restoration
At a ministerial dialogue at the 17th Conference of Parties of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, India called for rangeland restoration rooted in science, secure tenure and community stewardship. The Environment Minister said restoration begins with pastoralists as custodians, not merely beneficiaries, as PIB reported on 26 August 2026.
- Date
- PIB release, 26 Aug 2026
- Meeting
- UNCCD COP17, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- Session
- Ministerial Dialogue on rangelands and pastoralist well-being
- Sacred groves
- around 25,000, about 0.6 million ha
- Pastures
- about 10 million ha of permanent pastures and grazing land
- Ask
- dedicated, accessible finance for rangeland restoration
India’s rangeland message at UNCCD COP17: what happened?
Rangelands are grasslands and open lands used for grazing. They feed livestock, hold soil carbon and recharge groundwater, but they are often treated as wasteland. India used COP17 to argue that the herders who use them should lead their restoration.
- India’s rangelands run from Himalayan pastures and Central Indian savannas to the Thar, Kachchh and the southern sholas.
- Satellite-based Desertification and Land Degradation Atlases help map grasslands and plan restoration.
- Recognising grazing rights and community forest resource rights strengthens local management.
- India offered to share its experience through South-South cooperation.
What examples did India give?
- Orans of Rajasthan: sacred groves protected by local communities, which also secure pastoral land rights and habitats such as those of the Great Indian Bustard.
- Around 25,000 community-protected sacred groves, about 0.6 million ha, many protected by statute.
- Reintroduction of the Cheetah, with proposed expansion into grasslands such as Banni in Gujarat.
- Deep-rooted grasses store soil carbon and help groundwater recharge.
Why does India’s rangeland message at UNCCD COP17 matter?
- Environment: Grasslands store carbon and water and shelter species like the Great Indian Bustard.
- Livelihoods: Pastoralists depend on secure grazing rights.
What can Prelims ask on India’s rangeland message at UNCCD COP17?
- UNCCD COP17 venue: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (2026).
- Orans: community sacred groves of Rajasthan.
- Banni grassland: Gujarat; proposed for cheetah expansion.
How to use this in Mains
- As per PIB (2026-08-26): at UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, India called for rangeland restoration led by pastoralists with secure tenure.
- Rangelands support livestock livelihoods and carbon storage.
Quotable data pointAt UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, India called for rangeland restoration led by pastoralists with secure tenure.
PIB: MoEFCC: India at UNCCD COP17, 26 Aug 2026
Exam angle
Prelims: UNCCD COPs; land restoration target.
Practice MCQs
Original practice questions (not PYQs).
Banni, mentioned by India at UNCCD COP17 for proposed cheetah expansion, is a grassland in
Answer (b) & explanation
PIB (MoEFCC), 26 Aug 2026.
Questions students ask about this
Where was UNCCD COP17 held?
In Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
What are Orans?
Sacred groves in Rajasthan protected by local communities for cultural and ecological reasons.
What did India ask for at COP17?
Dedicated, accessible financing for rangeland restoration, and access to technology and knowledge for developing countries.
Keep studying
Go deeper
Official source: PIB: MoEFCC: India at UNCCD COP17, 26 Aug 2026
facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending