Governments at the 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Ulaanbaatar could not agree on a global drought framework after two years of negotiations. The decision was stalled once again, leaving all options bracketed and unresolved.
A global drought framework aimed to shift drought management from crisis response to prevention, including early warning systems, data sharing, and mobilizing finance for resilience. The UNCCD estimates a $278 billion annual gap in investment for land restoration and drought resilience.
A small group of countries, led by the US, blocked both binding and voluntary instruments due to concerns over sovereignty, budget, and bureaucracy. The US argued that drought is primarily a domestic or regional issue.
As a concrete outcome, drought will be a permanent, standalone agenda item at COP18 and subsequent meetings, elevating its profile in negotiations. Despite the stalled framework, UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad stated that existing financing channels remain available for countries with drought management plans.
Source: Down To Earth