Viet Nam contributes to UNCCD COP17

On August 17, MAE delegation took part in discussions at the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17).

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) delegation to UNCCD COP17 is led by Mr. Nguyen Van Dien, Deputy Director General of the Viet Nam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST).

On the opening day, the delegation joined the plenary sessions and shared Viet Nam’s experience and perspectives on sustainable land management, forest restoration, combating desertification and adapting to climate change. Its participation reaffirmed Viet Nam’s proactive and responsible commitment to implementing the UNCCD.

During the conference, the Vietnamese delegation held exchanges with the UNCCD Secretariat, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and international partners. Discussions focused on using remote sensing technology to monitor land and forest resources, mobilizing financial resources, and promoting sustainable forest landscape restoration.

Viet Nam is vulnerable to drought, soil erosion, landslides and saltwater intrusion. Since joining the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in 1998, Viet Nam has implemented a range of programmes and policies to promote sustainable land management, restore ecosystems and combat desertification.

The country has maintained forest cover at above 42%, implemented the One Billion Trees Programme, restored upstream protection forests and coastal sand-shielding forests, and promoted climate-resilient agroforestry models. These efforts help protect soil, reduce erosion, retain water and strengthen the resilience of ecosystems.

Viet Nam has also strengthened its policy on payment for forest environmental services (PFES), integrated the voluntary Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) target into relevant plans and programmes, and adopted the National Action Programme on Combating Desertification through 2030, with a vision to 2050.

UNCCD COP17 officially opened on August 17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and will run through August 28 under the theme “Restoring land, Restoring hope”. The conference brings together representatives from 197 countries, as well as international organizations, scientists and businesses.

The conference focuses on promoting solutions to address land degradation, drought and desertification, while mobilizing and diversifying financial resources for land restoration. It also seeks to advance the voluntary Land Degradation Neutrality target alongside biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration and climate change adaptation.

Throughout COP17, the Vietnamese delegation will continue to take part in discussions, contribute to the conference’s decisions, and expand international cooperation on land management, forest restoration, and responses to drought and desertification.

Minh Hanh