Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 26 August 2026 — On the margins of the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), an event entitled “Central Asia – Russia: Regional Experience and Joint Solutions for Sustainable Land Management” was held at the Russian Pavilion. The event was organized by the Russian Federation and the UNCCD "Central Asia – Russia" Interregional Group.
The event brought together representatives of the States participating in the Interregional Group, the UNCCD Secretariat, as well as members of the scientific and expert communities. Discussions focused on common challenges facing Central Asia and the Russian Federation, including land degradation, desertification, drought, water scarcity and climate change, as well as opportunities to further strengthen regional cooperation and develop joint practical solutions for sustainable land management.
Meeting of the UNCCD "Central Asia – Russia" Interregional Group. Photocredit to IRG.
Particular attention was given to the role of UNCCD COP17 in shaping long-term priorities for cooperation under the three Rio Conventions, as well as to strengthening regional cooperation in preventing land degradation and drought, improving land resource monitoring, and reinforcing the scientific and methodological basis for informed decision-making.
The event featured presentations of a number of relevant analytical and methodological resources, including the Central Asia thematic report prepared in the framework of the Global Land Outlook, a Practical Guide on Assessing Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN), and materials addressing carbon farming in the Greater Central Asia region. The materials presented provided an opportunity to examine current approaches to assessing the status of land resources, monitoring degradation processes, and developing practical tools for sustainable land management.
Meeting of the UNCCD "Central Asia – Russia" Interregional Group. Photocredit to IRG.
Mr. Mukhammet Durikov, Director of the Scientific-Information Center of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development of Central Asia (SIC ICSD) and UNCCD National Focal Point for Turkmenistan, actively participated in the subsequent panel discussion, which provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on the practical application of the research findings and methodological approaches presented at the national and regional levels.
In particular, participants discussed the relevance of the findings presented in the reports for defining future national and regional priorities; opportunities to integrate regional experience in assessing LDN into national monitoring and decision-making systems; and prospects for harmonizing data, methodologies and approaches among the countries of Central Asia and the Russian Federation.
Particular attention was also given to strengthening cooperation among government institutions, scientific organizations and the private sector with a view to translating scientific knowledge and analytical data into concrete measures for sustainable land management and land restoration. In this context, participants emphasized the need to further develop mechanisms for the exchange of knowledge, data and good practices among the countries of the region.
Meeting of the UNCCD "Central Asia – Russia" Interregional Group. Photocredit to IRG.
For SIC ICSD, participation in the work of the "Central Asia – Russia" Interregional Group is of particular importance in view of the Center’s mandate to support regional cooperation on sustainable development through scientific and information support, scientific and methodological expertise, and advisory assistance. Continued dialogue within this framework provides additional opportunities for exchanging experience, advancing joint initiatives and strengthening the scientific and methodological foundation of regional cooperation in the areas of preventing land degradation, combating desertification and drought, restoring land resources, and enhancing climate resilience.
The event contributes to the achievement of:
| Priority Area No 5 dedicated to SDG 15: “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems” |
| 5.1.2 Capacity-building for sustainable management of forests, land, and pastures. |
| Priority area No 6 of REP4SD dedicated to SDG 17: “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development” |
| 6.1 Involvement of the region into implementation of global environmental conventions, programmes and initiatives. |