G7 Ministers Address Land Degradation and Drought Risks

The recent G7 environmental ministers' meeting held in Paris formally recognized land degradation and drought as significant global security risks. The joint declaration from the ministers emphasized the need to strengthen actions related to land restoration and drought resilience, linking these issues to broader challenges affecting ecosystems, livelihoods, food, and water security.

Yasmin Fouad, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), highlighted the urgent need for political attention and financial partnerships to address the growing impacts of land degradation and drought, which already affect a significant share of the world's land. The declaration underscored that over the past six decades, 40% of intrastate conflicts have been linked to disputes over natural resources, particularly land and water.

The ministers called for greater alignment of public and private financing to support these commitments, with a particular focus on the upcoming 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to be held in Mongolia in August 2026.