The 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) will take place Aug. 17–28, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
WCS experts will be on the ground throughout the conference, highlighting the critical role of healthy rangelands and intact ecosystems in conserving biodiversity, supporting livelihoods, and building resilience to climate change.
As Global Land Degradation Accelerates, WCS Brings Science and Wildlife Conservation Expertise to UNCCD COP17
"Mongolia's vast rangelands demonstrate that healthy ecosystems, thriving wildlife, and sustainable pastoral livelihoods are deeply interconnected," said Dr. Justine Shanti Alexander, Country Director of WCS Mongolia. "Hosting COP17 provides an opportunity to share lessons from Mongolia with the world while reinforcing that conserving ecological integrity is fundamental to restoring land and securing a sustainable future for both people and nature."
The future of snow leopards will depend on healthy rangelands that support wild prey and livestock alike, writes WCS's Justine Alexander for PBS Nature. It will depend on functioning water systems—a limiting factor for many in the Gobi Desert. It will depend on communities that have the knowledge, resources, and resilience to adapt to a changing climate.
