4/15 Innovations in sustainable rangelands and pastoralism

The United Nations Environment Assembly,

Recalling United Nations Environment Assembly resolution 2/24 on combating desertification, land degradation and drought and promoting sustainable pastoralism and rangelands

Noting with concern the limited level of implementation of the above-mentioned resolution,

Taking note of the work of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock, including under its Restoring Value to Grasslands action network,

Noting with appreciation the UN General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/73/284) on the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030,

Welcoming the global and regional initiatives and efforts aimed at preventing and reversing the loss of biological diversity and ecosystem functions and services and taking note of the substantive body of work on rangelands and pastoralism under United Nations organizations such as the Food and Agricultural Organization and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification,

Recognizing the critical role that sustainable rangelands and pastoralism plays in addressing environmental challenges, maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services as well as any other natural resources and contributing to food security, sustainable tourism and socio-economic development, particularly to indigenous peoples, and local communities, where appropriate,

Recognizing also that pastoralism across the world is evolving and is linked to the diverse cultures, identities, traditional knowledge, the historical experience of coexistence with nature, and distinct way of life of indigenous peoples, and local communities, where appropriate,

Aware that pastoralism is faced with urgent challenges, including land degradation, loss of biodiversity, vulnerability to climate change, insecurity, low investments, inequity, low levels of literacy, infrastructure, and access to markets, the exodus of youth, migration or abandonment of rangelands, and limited access to social and extension services,

Deeply concerned with the low levels of national, regional and global efforts and implementation of actions towards sustainable rangelands and pastoralism,

Recognizing the essential role of traditional institutions, and collective actions on sustainable rangeland management, and calling for strengthening their role innovatively,

Noting that, due to the frequent occurrence of natural hazards such as drought, rangeland resources are becoming scarce resulting in conflict episodes between pastoralists and farmers over a natural resource, grazing land and water,

Taking into account the potential of embracing innovative solutions in the sustainable management of rangelands towards addressing environmental challenges and improving inter alia national incomes, through measures such as promoting eco-tourism, and addressing environmental challenges,

1. Urges Member States and invites all relevant stakeholders to raise awareness and promote innovative solutions for sustainable management of rangelands and pastoralism taking into account traditional knowledge on sectors such as agro-pastoralism, livestock, agroforestry, agriculture, renewable energy and ecotourism;

2. Also urges Member States to strengthen global efforts to conserve and sustainably use rangelands, in particular in the context of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021– 2030, acknowledging ongoing global efforts to introduce a proposal for an international year of rangelands and pastoralism to the Committee on Agriculture of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations;

3. Invites Member States and relevant stakeholders to support rangeland restoration through increased promotion of investment, attractive incentives, market access and linkages, value addition, soil and water conservation, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, ecological rehabilitation, resilience mechanisms, and planned grazing and herding mechanisms;

4. Requests the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme to support, upon request and subject to the availability of resources, those countries undertaking regional assessments of the status of, and conditions and trends in, rangeland, pastoral land and pastoralism, taking into account the information and knowledge gathered through the gap analysis undertaken by the United Nations Environment Programme and the work carried out by other United Nations organizations and relevant stakeholders;

5. Encourages the Executive Director, and invites Member States, in close collaboration with United Nations bodies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, in addition to multinational development banks and other relevant intergovernmental organizations, to continue to explore collaborative financing efforts to promote sustainable rangelands and pastoralism;

6. Requests the Executive Director to support Member States, upon request, in their quest to promote innovative solutions for the sustainable management of rangelands and, where appropriate, to promote sensitive development interventions specific to resolving disputes and supporting traditional governance, with particular attention to recognizing the role of traditional institutions and community participation;

7. Also requests the Executive Director to report to the Environment Assembly at its fifth session on progress in the implementation of the present resolution and of resolution 2/24 on combating desertification, land degradation and drought and promoting sustainable pastoralism and rangelands.