WRI experts will be on the ground at the UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia — a major opportunity to elevate restoring land and the people behind on it on countries’ economic agendas. The summit will convene governments, businesses and civil society leaders, along with scientists, pastoralists, smallholder farmers and others under the theme, “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.”

Cultivating Adaptive Grassland Management in the Asian Dryland Belt

  • Date: Thursday, August 20
  • Time: 13:00
  • Venue: Met 06

Dr Susan Chomba, Director for Food, Land and Water, WRI Africa will present on WRI’s perspective on, ‘Pathways to Success: Challenges in restoration and strategies for sustained application.”

Restoring African Landscapes, Restoring Hope: Scaling the Great Green Wall through Continental Integration and the AU Great Green Wall Initiative Strategy

  • Date: Monday, August 24
  • Time: 12:00 to 14:00 (ULAT / GMT+8)

The African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Pan-African Agency of the Great Green Wall (PAGGW), and the SADC GGWI through the SADC Secretariat, is organizing a High-Level Side Event on “Restoring African Landscapes, Restoring Hope: Scaling the Great Green Wall through Continental Integration and the AU Great Green Wall Initiative Strategy (2024–2034)

Dr Susan Chomba, Director for Food, Land and Water, WRI Africa is a Special Invitee to the Private Sector and Financial Partners segment of the event and will share briefly on WRI's perspective on investing in the Great Green Wall, highlighting the most significant challenges the organization faces when considering or deploying capital in Great Green Wall countries.

LAND 2030+: Linking Action, Network and Delivery

  • Date: Monday August 24
  • Venue: IUCN Pavilion, Blue Zone
  • Time: 16:00–17:30
  • Co-organizers: World Vision, GIZ, IUCN, and the World Bank

What will it take to turn global restoration ambition into investable, locally delivered action? This session will bring together experience from regional restoration initiatives, including AFR100, Initiative 20x20, RESULTS Asia and ECCA30, alongside perspectives from governments, communities and international partners. WRI’s Juliana Echeverri will share experiences from Latin America and Initiative 20x20.

Pastoralism as a Bold Agroecology Practice: Mobility as a Pathway to Climate Adaptation and Resilience

  • Date: Wednesday, August 26
  • Time: 10:30am – 12:00pm
  • Location: MET-05
  • Co-organizers: International Land Coalition, Ambition Loop, AU, AUDA-NEPAD, Réseau Billital Maroobé (RBM)

Pastoralists adapt to changing conditions by utilizing mobility, optimizing landscapes unsuitable for crops. This practice aids land restoration through natural fertilization, better grassland management, and lower wildfire risks. The side event will challenge narratives deeming mobility outdated, instead highlighting it as a climate-resilient approach that fosters sustainable food systems, harmonious farmer–herder interactions, and ecosystem restoration. Dr Susan Chomba, Director for Food, Land and Water, WRI Africa will speak at the event, exploring two key questions:

  • How is climate change affecting pastoralists’ livelihoods and food security across Africa?
  • Beyond agroecology, how is WRI supporting pastoralists to adapt and build resilience to climate change?

Connecting Food and Soil Health Breakthroughs: Towards Shared Metrics

  • Date: Thursday, August 27
  • Venue: MET24
  • Time: 09:00 – 10:30

This session focuses on relevant agricultural land, rangeland and soil health metrics, contributing to a common framework for measuring progress on regenerative agriculture and agroecological practices, as well as showcasing tools that strengthen evidence-based decision-making across scales and actors. The session will also highlight advancements in soil and land health monitoring, the launch of the global monitoring framework, and the utility of these tools toward the breakthroughs.

WRI's Dr Susan Chomba will join various partners in deliberating on, 'Endorsements of Breakthroughs on Rangelands, Grasslands & Savannas, and Agriculture & Food Systems

Making System Change Practical: Landscapes, Policy, Finance and the Future of Restoration 

  • Date: Aug 28
  • Venue: MET-05
  • Time: 10:30-12:00
  • Organizer: Commonland

How can we scale up policy frameworks and financing mechanisms to advance sustainable land management? This side panel will open with a fireside chat with IUCN's Director General, Grethel Aguilar, followed by a panel discussion with representatives of CGIAR, ELD, Wildlife Conservation Action, WRI and WWF. WRI’s Juliana Echeverri will speak on what’s needed to grow and promote a restoration economy.