As part of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), a high-level discussion themed "Land Degradation Neutrality Solutions: Protected Area Policy, Management and Financing" was held at the Mongolian Urguu Hall Pavilion in the Blue Zone. Protected Areas (PAs) are a critical long-term solution for safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, as well as for reducing land degradation and desertification. In this context, discussions focused on reforming the Law on Protected Areas; strengthening conservation quality, concrete outcomes, management, governance, and sustainable financing; and expanding cooperation among the government, local administrations, local communities, the private sector, financial institutions, and international partners.

Member of Parliament B.Bat-Erdene, UN Resident Coordinator Jaap van Hierden, and State Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Sh.Batbayar delivered opening remarks. The first part of the session presented updates on the legal reform of Protected Areas, national network development directions, strategies, action plans, scientific research for identifying areas of high ecological significance, evidence-based decision-making, and sustainable financing solutions.

The high-level panel discussion featured Members of Parliament L.Soronzonbold and A.Undraa, Director of the Protected Areas Policy Department Ts.Uranchimeg, Country Director of The Nature Conservancy Mongolia D.Galbadrakh, GIZ Green Portfolio Manager Bastian Flury, and Director of the Dariganga National Park Administration D.Ariuntsetseg. The panelists shared their perspectives on PA legal reforms, management, financing, local community participation, and stakeholder cooperation.

Concluding the discussion, M.Boldoo, Chairman of the Board of the Mongolian Nature’s Legacy Foundation, emphasized: "As Mongolia expands its protected areas, the revised draft Law on Protected Areas, prepared for submission to Parliament, will play a decisive role in improving conservation quality and concrete outcomes, and in establishing a results-based sustainable financing system."