On 20 August 2026, the CSO-Led Declaration on Land, Peace and Security was launched in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, during the 17th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17).
Led by Surge Africa, the process brought together more than 500 civil society organisations from across the world, alongside support from more than 12 States including the UK, Brussels, Bhutan, France, Chad, and Somalia, and so on. The Declaration calls for greater recognition of the links between land, climate, livelihoods, peace and security, including greater attention to peace finance and the role of communities in land and environmental governance.
For young people, the issues addressed by the Declaration are closely connected to everyday realities. Land degradation affects agriculture, food systems and livelihoods. Climate pressures can increase existing vulnerabilities, while displacement and competition over natural resources can affect access to education, employment and other opportunities.
The Declaration is relevant because it places peace finance within discussions on land and environmental action. Financing for restoration and climate resilience is often discussed primarily as an environmental or development issue. In communities affected by conflict and displacement, however, financing decisions can also have implications for stability, livelihoods and local resilience.
High-level side events held during COP17 as part of the Declaration’s launch, including a high-level closed session at the Residence of the UK Ambassador to Mongolia, bringing together peace practitioners and government representatives to discuss the implementation of the Declaration.
The focus now will move from endorsement to implementation, this includes strengthening partnerships, improving access to finance, supporting community-led approaches and creating space for civil society and young people to contribute to policy and implementation.
For the youth organisations that endorsed it, supporting the Declaration is an opportunity to contribute to a broader civil society process and to ensure that young people's perspectives are included in the work that follows.