The 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) was held in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, from 17 to 28 August 2026, under the theme “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.” The conference addressed interconnected issues including land restoration, drought resilience, water, rangelands and food systems, in which Turkish Water Institute (SUEN) took part.
As part of COP17, SUEN, in cooperation with the General Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion and the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS), organized a side event entitled “From Istanbul to Abu Dhabi: The Water-Land-Climate Nexus for Resilience”. Moderated by Abdula Manafi Mutualo of IOFS, the session featured Prof. Dr. Abdulmenaf Turan, Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director General of IOFS, Samed Ağırbaş, COP31 High-Level Climate Champion and President of the Zero Waste Foundation, and Dr. Tuğba Evrim Maden, SUEN Policy Development Coordinator, as speakers. The session highlighted that water, land and climate policies cannot be addressed in isolation, and emphasized the need for an integrated approach encompassing climate-resilient water and land management, sustainable agriculture, ecosystem protection, efficient resource use, science-based policymaking, technology, inclusive governance and international cooperation to strengthen resilience to drought and land degradation.
Representing SUEN, Dr. Tuğba Evrim Maden focused on the role of water diplomacy and cooperation in advancing climate-resilient water management. The importance of cooperation based on continuous dialogue, mutual trust and shared understanding was emphasized, alongside the critical role of reliable data, the science-policy interface, capacity development and inclusive governance. The session also underscored the importance of translating these messages into concrete actions and partnerships along the pathway from the 5th Istanbul International Water Forum, held in Istanbul, to Türkiye’s COP31 Presidency and the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
As part of the COP17 program, Dr. Maden also participated as a panelist in the session entitled “From Climate Impacts to Integrated Action: Rethinking Water and Land Management,” held at the Türkiye Pavilion on 26 August 2026. The session highlighted the importance of adopting a more integrated approach to water and land management in response to the growing impacts of climate change. Discussions addressed the role of basin-scale planning, nature-based solutions, sustainable agriculture, irrigation and water infrastructure in strengthening climate resilience.
The key messages of SUEN’s contributions at COP17 centered on strengthening the water-land-climate nexus, advancing climate-resilient water management, translating reliable data and scientific knowledge into decision-making, enhancing capacity development, promoting inclusive governance and advancing international cooperation.
