Remarks by Jaap van Hierden UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia for “Youth4Land” National Forum, Dundgovi

Honourable Governor S. Munkhchuluun,

Ambassador-at-Large N. Chimguundari, Director of the COP17 Preparatory Office,

Dear G. Sangidorj, representing the voice of young herders,

Distinguished Guests, Colleagues, Friends, and especially our Young Participants,

Good morning.

It is both a great pleasure and a privilege to speak before you today.

I would like to thank Governor Munkhchuluun for his warm hospitality and for co-partnering with us in organizing this forum.

We are gathered here in Dundgovi Province, one of the regions most affected by desertification and climate change in Mongolia — and therefore, one of the most meaningful places to launch this Youth4Land National Forum.

This is not just another forum. It is a youth-led movement — a call to action to restore our lands and protect the future of Mongolia’s unique environment and way of life. And it comes at a critical moment, as Mongolia prepares to host the UNCCD COP17 in 2026.

The challenges we face are immense. 77 percent of Mongolia’s land is degraded. Desertification threatens livelihoods, ecosystems, and food security. And the drivers are well known: climate change, which brings rising temperatures and erratic rainfall, and overgrazing, which strips the land of its protective vegetation and leaves it vulnerable to erosion.

But here’s the truth: the solutions already exist — in the knowledge of herders, in the energy of youth, and in the power of partnership.

Over the next two days, we will witness something special. We will hear directly from young herders, researchers, innovators, and community leaders. We will learn from their experiences — and their ideas. From rotational grazing to youth-led technology, from community forest belts to the use of digital platforms — the youth are not waiting for change. They are leading it.

This forum is also a vital opportunity to shape the youth voice for COP17. The Forum Declaration, developed right here in Dundgovi, will contribute directly to the national dialogue and preparations for 2026. You are not only part of the conversation — you are shaping the agenda.

I would like to thank the Government of Mongolia, including the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the COP17 Preparatory Office, and of course our gracious hosts, the Governor’s Office of Dundgovi, for their unwavering support and leadership.

Ambassador Chimguundari, thank you for your leadership.

Let me share a personal reflection. I recently had the opportunity to visit Great Gobi A, a strictly protected area that is larger than my own country, The Netherlands. This vast and remote landscape is home to the Gobi Bear and the Wild Bactrian Camel, two of the rarest species on Earth. But its significance goes beyond biodiversity. Great Gobi A acts as a natural buffer against desertification. By protecting native vegetation and fragile ecosystems, it helps stabilize the land and preserve the delicate balance of nature in one of the harshest environments on the planet.

This experience reminded me that conservation is not just about protecting wildlife — it is about protecting people, cultures, and futures. Especially in marginal lands like Dundgovi, conservation can be a powerful tool to halt and reverse land degradation.

Let me close by saying this:

The nomads of Mongolia are the custodians of these vast lands, passing down their knowledge from generation to generation. The upcoming COP17 will provide a valuable opportunity for Mongolia to take the global spotlight as a leader in land restoration and nature conservation—efforts deeply rooted in its centuries-old nomadic wisdom and traditions.

We, at the United Nations, have always admired the resilience of the Mongolian people and your ways of living in harmony with nature.

Let us make these two days count — for our land, our people, and our planet.

Thank you. Bayarlalaa