India Launches First-Ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems at UNCCD COP17, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Key Highlights:

• India launched its first-ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) at the UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on August 17, 2026.
• The Guide highlights the rich diversity, ecological significance, and socio-economic importance of India’s grasslands, savannas, and deserts.
• Shri Bhupender Yadav, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, emphasized the indispensable role of healthy grasslands for biodiversity, livelihoods, and climate resilience.
• The initiative aims to strengthen the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of these vital ecosystems.

Detailed Insights:

• The launch was supported by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and organized in collaboration with ATREE, IUCN, CoE-SLM, ICFRE, and SAC, ISRO.
• The Guide recognizes ONEs like Himalayan and Terai grasslands, Thar and Banni landscapes, Deccan savannas, and coastal ecosystems, which were often previously termed "wasteland."
• It provides information on their geographical settings, ecological characteristics, biodiversity, and associated communities and tribes.
• The Guide also includes thematic sections on pastoralism, fire ecology, and carbon sequestration, underscoring their role in supporting diverse livelihoods and ecological processes.
• This initiative reinforces India's commitment to a science-informed, landscape-based approach to land restoration and achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs): Ecosystems characterized by sparse tree cover, including grasslands, savannas, deserts, scrublands, and rocky plateaus, vital for biodiversity and livelihoods.
• UNCCD COP17: The 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, an international forum addressing land degradation and desertification.
• Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN): A state where the amount and quality of land resources necessary to support ecosystem functions and services remain stable or increase within specified spatial and temporal scales.