Will the world’s drying lands get relief from COP17 in Mongolia?

Starting on Monday, approximately 10,000 government negotiators, scientists, journalists, and campaigners are gathering at a purpose-built venue in a national park in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, for the COP17 conference.

The summit convenes to address the escalating global crisis of land degradation, focusing specifically on how to stop land from turning into desert as the world continues to warm.

The meeting takes place against the backdrop of widespread drought currently sweeping much of the globe, raising questions about whether the world's drying lands will receive meaningful relief from the discussions.