Restoring land and healthy soils: A key climate solution for carbon storage and food security

A new press release from WWF highlights the critical role of healthy soils in fighting climate change and securing food production. Up to 40% of Earth's land is degraded, which threatens half of global GDP and releases massive amounts of stored carbon into the atmosphere. Soils hold more carbon than the atmosphere and all plants combined, making land restoration one of the most cost effective climate solutions available. The article focuses on Mongolia's Eastern Steppe as a case study, where a 7 million hectare project is using community based grazing management to improve pasture condition by 30-40% and sequester thousands of tonnes of CO2 annually. The piece argues that nature positive agriculture, including regenerative and climate smart practices, can reverse degradation while feeding more people. It positions the upcoming UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia as a pivotal moment for scaling investment in land restoration.