What happened
Deputy Minister Fatma Varank addressed a panel at the UN Desertification Convention conference (COP17) in Mongolia on 26 August 2026, detailing Turkey's approach to environmental treaty coordination. On 17 June 2025, Turkey signed a Rio Synergy Protocol between national focal points of the UN Desertification Convention, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Convention on Biological Diversity, establishing a joint institutional mechanism for policy alignment.
Turkey has completed most commitments from COP16, the previous desertification conference. The country operates updated national monitoring systems, including dynamic erosion and wind erosion models developed with TÜBİTAK, the scientific research council, and an AI-assisted land cover classification system integrated with national climate projections. The ÇEM Academy has trained 1,267 experts from 108 countries and 16 international organisations.
Why it matters
Varank characterised desertification, climate change and biodiversity loss as interconnected crises requiring unified policy responses rather than isolated solutions. Stronger coordination among the three treaties at national and international levels enables shared strategies, joint capacity development and improved data exchange. As COP31 host, Turkey intends to expand this synergy globally, facilitating experience-sharing between countries and positioning land restoration and nature-based solutions as priorities within international climate policy.
The protocol and monitoring infrastructure support evidence-based decision-making on sustainable land management across government and academic institutions in Turkey, and provide analytical tools to international users.
Background
Turkey hosted COP12 in 2015, when it advanced the concept of land degradation neutrality. The country has released a national strategy and action plan for 2024–2030 addressing desertification and land degradation, structured around six strategic pillars, with annual monitoring and reporting by responsible agencies.
What's next
Turkey will hold the COP31 presidency, where it intends to deepen Rio treaty synergy among participating nations and position land restoration and sustainable management as global climate priorities, building on the institutional coordination model established domestically.