United Nations’ declaration of 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP),

This article gained prominence due to its timely publication shortly after UNFCCC COP30 (November 2025 in Belém, Brazil), which heavily emphasized tropical forests while largely sidelining grasslands and savannahs. It aligns with the United Nations’ declaration of 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP), spotlighting these overlooked ecosystems. Additionally, progress at UNCCD COP16 (December 2024 in Riyadh) on rangelands, combined with ongoing advocacy for integrating grasslands into climate policies, amplified the issue amid growing calls for equitable biome protection in global negotiations.

Persistent Forest Bias in UNFCCC Negotiations:

• COP30’s Forest-Centric Focus: Hosted in Brazil (home to the Amazon), the summit prioritized forests, launching the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) with multi-billion-dollar pledges to incentivize preserving intact tropical forests.
• Criticism of Disparity: Despite excitement over TFFF, the conference lacked concrete actions for other biomes like grasslands, perpetuating a “glaring disparity” where forests dominate carbon-focused discussions under UNFCCC.
• Historical Oversight: A 2022 open letter in Science warned that savannahs/grasslands are potentially superior carbon sinks but ignored; three years later (post-COP30), this remains unaddressed.

Threats to Grasslands Worldwide

• Highly Threatened Biome: Grasslands face rapid loss from agriculture, plantations, invasive species (e.g., buffel grass in Australia), fossil fuel extraction, and suppression of indigenous practices like controlled fires/grazing.
• Climate Impacts: Intensified dry spells, flash floods, and harsher wildfires release more carbon as ecosystems degrade.
• Examples:
  • Australia’s desert grasslands (over 1/3 of landmass) managed by indigenous rangers.
  • Brazil’s Cerrado savannah: Twice the habitat loss rate of Amazon; critical for water systems but pressured by agribusiness, mining, and toxic waste.

Advocacy Efforts at COP30:

• Scattered but Visible Push: Billboards, indigenous demonstrations (e.g., Cerrado communities), youth groups, and side events highlighted grasslands.
• Key Voices: Brazilian congresswoman Dandara Tonantzin stated, “Without the Cerrado, there is no Amazon” – emphasizing ecological connectivity.
• Reports and Calls: WWF/IUCN report Protecting the Overlooked Carbon Sink urged integrating grasslands across Rio Conventions and into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Progress in Other UN Conventions:

• UNCCD COP16 Advances: Resolution L15 recognized rangelands as complex socio-ecological systems, urging parties to prioritize policies, investments, and tenure security for sustainable management.
• Contrast with UNFCCC: Biodiversity (CBD) and desertification (UNCCD) bodies have better incorporated grasslands; UNCCD emphasized achieving land degradation neutrality via rangelands.

Social Justice and Indigenous Dimensions:

• Impacts on Communities: Pastoralists and indigenous groups face harshest climate effects; protecting grasslands involves securing land rights (e.g., for Brazil’s Quilombolas and Indigenous peoples).
• Inclusive Policies Needed: Recognition of traditional management (fires, grazing) and community participation essential for equity.

Opportunities for Integration and Action:

• Bridging Rio Conventions: Need synergies among UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD to address silos; include grasslands in NDCs for holistic climate mitigation.
• India-Specific Angle: Grasslands span multiple ministries with conflicting goals (e.g., viewed as “wastelands” for afforestation); recognizing them as carbon sinks could enhance India’s NDC target (2.5–3 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent via additional cover by 2030).
• Broader Recommendations: Adopt ecosystem-based approaches, value grasslands’ services (carbon sequestration, water, biodiversity), and prioritize science/civil society over lobbies.