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Energy & Environment

COP17 turns to private capital as land restoration finance gap persists

Only $216 million of a $1.3 billion finance portfolio is confirmed as governments seek ways to close a funding gap.

, and Arete News Staff

August 28, 2026 . 9:20 PM

3 min read

The next session of the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification Conference of the Parties, COP18, is expected to take place in Egypt, in 2028. — The next session of the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification Conference of the Parties, COP18, is expected to take place in Egypt, in 2028. (Kagou Dicko/Unsplash)

Governments and development banks are turning to private capital and new investment vehicles to help finance land restoration as a U.N. conference in Mongolia ended with a $1.3 billion portfolio of projects but only a fraction of that amount confirmed and moving toward implementation.

The U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification said governments, development banks, funds and companies assembled $1.3 billion in new and pipeline finance for land restoration and drought resilience across 23 countries during COP17, which concluded on Friday in Ulaanbaatar.

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Energy & Environment — Asia-Pacific — Mongolia — U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) 1996 — Global Environment Facility — Asian Development Bank — Luxembourg

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