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Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday met Maldives Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy Ali Shareef on the sidelines of the 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, where he also highlighted India's experience in restoring grasslands and rangelands through scientific planning and community participation.
In a post on X, Yadav said he met Shareef during the international climate conference, which is focused on addressing land degradation, desertification and drought resilience. "Met with H.E Ali Shareef, Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy Republic of Maldives, on the sidelines of @UNCCD COP17," Yadav said. https://x.com/byadavbjp/status/2092476184881934624 The Union Minister also addressed a ministerial dialogue on the restoration of rangelands and the well-being of pastoralist communities, where he outlined India's approach to restoring degraded ecosystems. Yadav said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's rangeland and grassland restoration strategy has focused on scientific planning, secure tenure and community stewardship. He also highlighted traditional community conservation systems and cited the restoration of the Banni grassland in Gujarat, the cheetah introduction programme in Kuno and the protection of Orans in Rajasthan as examples of conservation practices combining ecological protection with local participation. The minister's remarks came a day after he presented India's approach to drought resilience at another ministerial dialogue at COP17, stressing the need to shift from reactive relief measures to proactive, technology-enabled resilience. Yadav said drought should increasingly be viewed as a predictable and preventable risk rather than a recurring disaster requiring emergency response. He highlighted India's use of rainfall monitoring and satellite-based drought assessments, along with watershed development, rejuvenation of traditional water bodies and community-led restoration of springs and recharge zones. In rural areas, he pointed to watershed programmes based on a ridge-to-valley approach and supported through community institutions and convergence with employment programmes. He also highlighted drinking water programmes, fodder support, emergency water supply and crop insurance as important components of drought resilience. "A crop insurance scheme that financially protects farmers against drought and other non-preventable losses across the crop cycle, combining subsidized premiums with technology-driven assessment, ensures faster, transparent claim settlement. Building drought resilience is not optional for the world's most vulnerable; it is survival," Yadav said. India has also called for diversified, adequate and predictable international financing for land restoration and drought resilience at COP17. The conference has seen global stakeholders announce a USD 1.3 billion financial package aimed at restoring critical rangelands. Yadav said India remains ready to share its knowledge and capacities, including its experience in early-warning systems, as countries work towards building greater resilience against drought and land degradation. (ANI)
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