# First global guide for grasslands launched at UNCCD COP17 2026-08-19T13:57:40+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A first-of-its-kind guide to managing grasslands and open natural ecosystems was launched on Thursday at the UNCCD COP17 in Riyadh. The guide was produced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with input from experts in India, Mongolia, and other countries. The guide provides practical steps for conserving and restoring grasslands, which cover about 40% of the Earth's land surface but receive far less attention than forests. It highlights the role of grasslands in carbon storage, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of pastoral communities. The launch comes as land degradation and desertification accelerate worldwide. The guide is intended for policymakers, land managers, and local communities, with pilot projects planned in India and Mongolia. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Grasslands are among the most neglected ecosystems globally, receiving a fraction of the conservation funding that forests do. In India, they cover roughly 15% of the land but are often misclassified as wasteland, leading to large-scale tree-planting that can harm native biodiversity and the pastoral communities dependent on them. The guide's real test will be whether it influences national land-use policies and budget allocations. The next major milestone is the COP17's final decision text, expected later this week, which may include grassland-specific targets. ## Coverage - moneycontrol.com Straightforward launch announcement, no editorialising or attribution of blame. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: India, IUCN, Mongolia, Riyadh, UNCCD Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/first-global-guide-for-grasslands-launched-at-unccd-cop17/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/first-global-guide-for-grasslands-launched-at-unccd-cop17/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/