Rangelands Rising Report-COP17 UNCCD

Why in news?

Rangelands Rising: Investing in Sustainable Management and Restoration, a new global report, was released recently.

Rangelands

• Rangelands are natural or semi-natural grazing ecosystems.
• They include grasslands, savannas, shrublands and open woodlands.
• They cover about 54% of the Earth’s land surface supports around 500 million pastoralists.
• They contain nearly one-third of the world’s important biodiversity areas.
• They provide food, biodiversity, water security, ecosystem services and drought resilience.

Report – Rangelands Rising: Investing in Sustainable Management and Restoration.

• Released at – UNCCD COP17, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
• Produced by – ILRI, GIZ, Economics of Land Degradation Initiative, UNCCD and IUCN.
• Rangelands generate an estimated $21–47 trillion in annual benefits.
• Economic returns from restoration –
• Restoration generally generates $4–6 for every $1 invested.
• When wider public benefits such as water supply are included, returns can reach $36 per $1.
• Rangelands and climate change –
• Healthy grasslands can function as net carbon sinks, storing substantial carbon in soils.
  • Degradation can release this stored carbon.
• Rangelands also improve water infiltration and aquifer recharge.
• Under the Paris Agreement, “rangelands” appear in the climate plans of only 24 countries, compared with 181 countries for forests.
• Pastoralism –
  • Many rangeland ecosystems evolved alongside grazing, and pastoralism.
  • Well-managed pastoral systems can support biodiversity and ecosystem health.
  • Pastoralists contribute labour, traditional knowledge, livestock and long-term stewardship but receive very less benefits.
• Financing gap –
  • Private-sector financing accounts for only about 6% of global finance directed towards combating land degradation and drought.
  • Climate-related blended finance reached $15.5 billion through 84 deals in 2024.
• Drought management – Governments often focus on post-disaster relief rather than preventive investment.
• It advocates investment in resilient rangeland management before drought occurs.
• Significance – The report highlights the holistic importance of rangelands and calls for greater investment in their restoration and sustainable management.

Reference

Down To Earth| Rangelands Rising Report-COP17 UNCCD