- Rangelands, despite their size and significance, have been historically under-appreciated in global conservation and climate discussions, a new op-ed argues.
- They cover more than 79 million square kilometers of grasslands, savannas, deserts, shrublands, and tundra globally. But they are more than just expansive open landscapes – rangelands are central to global economies, ecosystems, and cultures.
- Ahead of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists in 2026, governments and conservationists have an opportunity to lay groundwork to ensure their health for wildlife habitat and their use by pastoralists is sustainable.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily Mongabay.
In recent years, there has been an enormous increase in awareness about the importance of rainforests to global ecosystems and economies. Meanwhile, another biome – one that covers more than half of the Earth’s terrestrial surface and is similarly important to tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation – has been overlooked.
Rangelands, despite their size and significance, have been historically under-appreciated in global sustainability discussions. However, as this “triple COP” year of three UN summits draws to a close, we have an opportunity to reverse this trend. By giving rangelands the consideration and support they deserve, their potential to help lower emissions, reduce biodiversity loss, and reverse land degradation can be realized.
Rangelands cover more than 79 million square kilometers of grasslands, savannas, deserts, shrublands, and tundra globally. But they are more than just expansive open landscapes – rangelands are central to global economies, ecosystems, and cultures.
In some African countries, for example, rangelands are key to the livestock sector, providing natural forage for cattle, sheep, goats and camels. Globally, they provide over 70% of the forage consumed by livestock, underpinning a significant portion of the global protein supply – especially for 200 million pastoralists. Overall, rangelands support the food security and livelihoods of up to two billion people.
They also foster some of the most biodiverse areas in the world and are home to 30% of biodiversity hotspots, including the Succulent Karoo biodiversity hotspot in southern Africa, home to more than 6,000 plant species. Rangelands also hold profound cultural significance for pastoralists and Indigenous communities, whose traditions and livelihoods are deeply intertwined with these landscapes.
However, rangelands have been historically neglected in international and national policies and institutions, featuring in just 10% of national climate plans under the Paris Agreement. Pastoralists and other rangeland users also lack direct institutional representation at the national level, or in multilateral environmental agreements. This leaves pastoralists and rangelands vulnerable to competing land uses, including urbanization, irrigated crop farming, afforestation, fortress conservation, renewable energy production, and industrialization.
The full extent of rangeland degradation around the world is still unknown, but estimates show that it ranges from 10 to 35% between continents. These degraded areas have lost significant amounts of biodiversity and soil fertility, and some are experiencing deterioration at rates faster than the Amazon rainforest.
Rangelands’ degradation not only reduces their ability to support one billion head of livestock but also limits their capacity to support biodiversity and store carbon. This is alarming when we learn that rangelands represent one-third of Earth’s carbon reservoir and are home to approximately half of all ecologically intact landscapes available to mitigate biodiversity loss.
However, there is a path forward that can reverse this accelerating degradation and unlock rangelands’ immense potential to support planetary health, food security, and economic prosperity.
As a crucial first step, integrating rangeland-specific targets into national climate action plans under the Paris Agreement can raise awareness of this vital biome and encourage both public and private investment. International backing and investment can help to combine the local knowledge and initiatives of pastoralists and Indigenous communities with new technologies and science, enabling them to lead the way in managing rangelands sustainably and equitably.
Concurrently, preventing the conversion of rangelands to unsustainable uses – embedding them into international land degradation, climate change, and biodiversity targets, and giving pastoralists a platform at the global level – can catalyze the restoration of rangelands, underpinning improved planetary health.
Studies have already shown the potential for better rangeland management to address the interconnected planetary crises of this “triple COP” year. Increasing the mobility of livestock to practice targeted grazing, for example, has been shown to reduce the impacts of invasive plant species by up to 30%, protecting biodiversity. Moreover, temporary exclosure and increased rotational grazing systems, in which fenced sections are periodically kept free of grazing animals and human interference, have been shown to reduce desertification and improve rangelands’ carbon sequestration potential.
See related: A mobile solution for Kenyan pastoralists’ livestock is a plus for wildlife, too
However, the benefits of a renewed focus on rangelands are not limited to the environment. For the communities directly dependent on rangelands, sustainable management can enhance their health, nutrition, and economic outcomes, while providing sustainable livelihoods through security of access to land. This should be viewed as an investment in them as it is in the restoration and protection of the land.
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this month presented a pivotal moment for action, and ahead of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists in 2026, delegates at that conference had an opportunity to lay the foundations to achieve tangible outcomes.
Using such platforms to establish bold global rangeland preservation goals can begin a long-overdue process of restoring healthy rangelands and achieving global sustainable development goals. This is not just an option – it is a necessity for the future of humanity and the planet.
Dr. Igshaan Samuels is a specialist researcher on Rangeland Ecology and Pastoralism for the Agricultural Research Council in South Africa. He holds a PhD in Botany from the University of Cape Town and has worked in arid agricultural landscapes for 19 years. He is currently the co-chair of the Global Coordinating Group of the UN-designated International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists in 2026.
Banner image: Giraffes like this young one in Uganda also benefit from rangeland conservation efforts. Photo courtesy of Rod Waddington via Flickr.
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