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Beyond Projects: What It Takes to Sustain Restoration at Scale

At the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Mongolia, ERIP and its partners hosted a series of discussions on dryland restoration, restoration monitoring, and water resilience, exploring what it takes to maintain momentum, strengthen ownership, support local communities, and scale restoration impact across regions.

  • 08.09.2026

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Restoring Land for the Long Term: ERIP at UNCCD COP17

Up to 40% of the world's land is degraded, while countries have committed to restoring more than one billion hectares by 2030. More than 70 countries now have national drought plans, but financing and implementation continue to lag behind the scale of the challenge.

These issues were at the center of discussions during the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Governments, practitioners, donors, and partners came together to discuss how to accelerate restoration, strengthen drought resilience, and support countries affected by land degradation.

For many countries participating in the Ecosystem Restoration Integrated Program (ERIP), these challenges are already a reality. Drought, land degradation, water scarcity, and climate variability are affecting both ecosystems and livelihoods. As part of Conservation International's delegation, ERIP joined restoration leaders, governments, and partners from around the world to share experiences and discuss practical solutions for scaling and sustaining restoration efforts.

One question connected many of the conversations throughout the week: How can restoration efforts continue long after a project ends?

Looking Beyond Individual Projects

One of the main moments of ERIP's participation was the side event Scaling Dryland Restoration Through Regional Platforms: Innovation, Continuity, and Investment. The discussion brought together representatives from the Great Green Wall, AFR100, Initiative 20x20, the SADC Great Green Wall, ECOLAND, the Freshwater Challenge, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and participating countries including Chad, Madagascar, and Uzbekistan.

The discussion focused on dryland restoration and how regional and global initiatives can help countries sustain restoration efforts beyond individual projects. Participants agreed on a simple message: restoration cannot succeed through individual projects alone. Regional initiatives help maintain momentum by preserving knowledge, strengthening institutions, supporting partnerships, and creating opportunities for countries to learn from one another. Another important message was that restoration efforts are more likely to last when they are integrated into national policies, institutions, budgets, and investment plans. 

Participants also stressed that restoration must generate clear benefits for the people who depend on these landscapes, including farmers, pastoralists, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities. “If we want restoration to last, we need to work with communities, farmers, and all those who manage the land. Participation, fair benefits, and inclusive governance are not optional. They are part of what makes continuity possible,” Mônica Barcellos Harris, Sr. Director, Restoration Partnerships, Project Lead, ERIP Global Coordination Project, CI.

ERIP at UNCCD COP17

ERIP at UNCCD COP17

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Turning Commitments into Action

ERIP also co-organized Scaling Ecosystem Restoration Through Integrated Tools, Monitoring, and Inclusive Action, together with the World Resources Institute (WRI). The session demonstrated how countries can use complementary tools and frameworks to support restoration planning, implementation, monitoring, adaptive management, and reporting.  

A key message was that countries need practical tools, reliable data, and inclusive decision-making processes to turn restoration commitments into action. 

Connecting Land and Water Restoration

The ERIP partnered with the Freshwater Challenge and other organizations to host Rehabilitating Wetlands, Recharging Aquifers: Perspectives from Large-Scale Ecosystem Restoration Projects in the Global South. The event explored how wetland restoration and integrated watershed management can contribute to water security, ecosystem resilience, and community well-being.

Drawing on experiences from restoration initiatives across the Global South, participants highlighted the importance of linking land and water restoration efforts. Discussions also emphasized the need for strong partnerships, effective governance, and long-term investment to sustain restoration outcomes and strengthen resilience in vulnerable landscapes.

Building Partnerships Beyond the Conference

In addition to the three events co-organized by ERIP, the program participated in a broader set of COP17 discussions, including the Ramsar High-Level Wetlands Event, while engaging with governments, restoration networks, development agencies, and technical partners from around the world.  

The conversations throughout the week showed that restoration is not only about ecosystems. It is also about livelihoods, resilience, governance, and long-term development. Across different sessions and regions, participants returned to the same message: continuity is about more than finance. It is about maintaining partnerships, strengthening local and national ownership, sharing knowledge across regions, and creating the conditions that allow restoration efforts to continue long after individual projects have ended.

As countries work toward ambitious restoration, climate, biodiversity, and land degradation neutrality goals, ERIP will continue supporting the partnerships, knowledge exchange, capacity building, and collaborative action needed to turn restoration commitments into lasting results for people and nature.