In a world where nearly 40 percent of the land is degraded, and productive soil is vanishing at an alarming rate, the need for coordinated local action has never been greater. Against this backdrop, the UNCCD COP17 Mayors’ Forum, an official program of the Conference of the Parties, will convene on 21 August in Ulaanbaatar, bringing together mayors, local and regional governments, international organizations, and partners to advance local leadership for land resilience. 

 

Under the theme “Local Leadership for Land Resilience: Cities Advancing Sustainable Futures”, the Mayors’ Forum will be co-organized by the Municipality of Ulaanbaatar, the UNCCD Secretariat, UN-Habitat and ICLEI. The selection of Mongolia’s capital as the venue is deeply symbolic: with 77 percent of Mongolian land degraded and the city home to nearly half the nation’s population, Ulaanbaatar stands at the crossroads of environmental vulnerability and urban innovation.

 

ICLEI’s Role: Amplifying Local Voices on the Global Stage

As a global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments, ICLEI has long recognized that cities and local governments are not only in the front lines in confronting land degradation, drought and water scarcity, but also a key actor in developing and implementing innovative policies and practical solutions. 

As an accredited observer to all three Rio Conventions, ICLEI works to strengthen the role and voice of local and regional governments in global environmental processes.

At the UNCCD COP17 Mayors’ Forum, ICLEI will work together with other partners to bring together local and regional leaders, city networks, international organisers, development partners, academia, civil society and the private sector etc.

The Forum will provide a high-level platform to strengthen international municipal cooperation, exchange practical experiences and advance actions on key issues such as land restoration, sustainable land management, urban-rural linkages, water security, and climate resilience. Through policy dialogue, peer exchanges and partnership building, the Forum aims to strengthen the engagement of local governments in the UNCCD process and translate the global sustainability commitments into local actions.

Ulaanbaatar has been a valued member of the ICLEI network since 2014, becoming the first local government in Mongolia to join the global network. Over the past decade, ICLEI and Ulaanbaatar have worked closely together to advance sustainable urban development, addressing a range of priorities, including air quality, sustainable mobility, district energy, building efficiency and urban resilience etc. Through peer-to-peer learning, capacity building, and technical support, this long-standing partnership has demonstrated the value of international municipal cooperation in supporting locally led sustainability solutions.

 

Cities as Drivers of Change

The impacts of land degradation, drought and water stress extend far beyond rural areas. Cities increasingly face interconnected challenges, from pressure on water and land resources to migration, rapid urbanization and growing demands on infrastructure and public services. At the same time, cities are also uniquely positioned to respond through integrated urban planning, nature-based solutions, ecosystem restoration, green infrastructure and stronger urban-rural linkages.

The Mayors’ Forum will spotlight practical and scalable local solutions through high-level dialogue, thematic discussions and exchanges among cities and partners. The event comes at an important moment for international environmental cooperation: As the first Conference of the Parties among the three Rio Conventions to convene in 2026, UNCCD COP17 provides an opportunity to strengthen coherence across the global agendas on land, biodiversity and climate, while reinforcing the contribution of local and regional governments to their implementation.

 

From UNCCD COP17 to the Rio Conventions: Connecting Global Goals with Local Action

ICLEI’s leadership in co-organizing the Mayors’ Forum reflects its long-standing commitment to strengthening the role of local and regional governments in advancing sustainable development. As  the three Rio Conventions continue to reinforce coherence across the global environmental agenda, ICLEI works to ensure that the voices of local governments are not only heard but contribute to implementation via multi-governance approach.  

As the UNCCD COP17 Mayors’ Forum opens in Ulaanbaatar, the message is clear: global goals for land restoration, biodiversity conservation and climate action require action at every level of government. By connecting global commitments with local implementation, cities and regions continue to play a critical role in building more resilient and sustainable communities.