The UNCCD COP is often described as the forgotten sibling of the climate and biodiversity COPs. Yet it focuses on an issue that underpins both: the health of our land. Held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from 17 to 28 August, COP17 brought together governments, businesses, scientists, NGOs and Indigenous groups to discuss land degradation, drought and sustainable land management.
As President of the British Society of Soil Science, I attended COP17 to help raise the profile of soil science within these discussions. I was joined by BSSS Executive Director Andy Morris, who was also attending in his capacity as the UNCCD Civil Society Organisation Representative for Western Europe. Between us, BSSS had a strong presence throughout the conference and a valuable opportunity to ensure that soils remained firmly on the agenda. I’ll leave Andy to report on his heroic efforts over two weeks of meetings, consultations and negotiations that seemed to run from dawn until well after dark. He still managed to fit in finding new members and corporate sponsors amongst his hectic schedule.
The theme of COP17, Restoring Land, Restoring Hope, gave a genuine sense that things are changing. Land degradation is increasingly being recognised not simply as an environmental problem, but as a challenge linked to food security, biodiversity, climate resilience, migration and economic development. Perhaps most encouragingly, more than US$1.3 billion was mobilised for land restoration and drought resilience projects during the meeting, including major investments in rangelands and pastoral systems. For a discipline that has often struggled for attention, it felt like the world was starting to recognise the importance of healthy soils.
One of the highlights for BSSS was our side event, Underlooked and Underfoot: Diversifying Solutions to Restore Soils and Produce Healthy Food. We assembled a fantastic panel including Professor Rattan Lal, colleagues from FAO and IUCN, representatives from farmer organisations in Africa, and civil society leaders working directly with communities affected by land degradation. The discussion explored topics that don’t always receive the attention they deserve, from underutilised crops and Indigenous knowledge to soil-nesting pollinators and new income opportunities from restoration. At one point we even debated whether the bumble bee should become the “panda of soil”. As soil scientists, we spend a lot of time talking about what’s beneath our feet, so it was refreshing to see a packed room eager to do the same.
I also contributed to a number of side events and delivered a keynote lecture on soils and drought in the Main Conference Room. COPs can produce some unusual moments and this was no exception. To close the session, the stage was handed over to the internationally acclaimed Senegalese musician and environmental advocate Baaba Maal (he did the music for the Black Panther film).
The people I met were perhaps the most memorable and rewarding part of my first COP experience. After my keynote, a delegate from Bangladesh came over to introduce herself and I quickly realised I had taught her several years ago. She is now Deputy Director of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Environment and was attending COP17 as part of the national delegation. Throughout the conference there were similar reminders of the global soil science community. I met many people who had studied in the UK and engaged with BSSS during their student years, including Professor Bababe Bukar, one of Nigeria’s leading soil scientists, who fondly recalled his PhD days at Newcastle in the 1980s.
What left the strongest impression, however, was the number of young people at the meeting. Students, early-career researchers and young professionals seemed to be everywhere. They brought energy, optimism and a determination to tackle problems. Industry and investment banks were also present, ready to invest in tackling land degradation. This created a feeling that soil science is entering a particularly exciting period.
For decades, soil scientists have argued that healthy soils are fundamental to healthy societies. At COP17, it felt like the rest of the world was beginning to catch up. If there was one thing I brought back from Mongolia, it was hope. Hope that land degradation is finally receiving the attention it deserves. Hope that investment is beginning to match ambition. And hope that the next generation of soil scientists will find themselves working in a world that increasingly recognises the value of what they do.
