- As 2026 begins, the world is turning its attention to a landscape that covers half of the Earth but often goes unnoticed: the rangelands.
- These open lands are now the focus of a historic United Nations initiative.
In 2026, the world is turning its attention to a landscape that covers half of the Earth but often goes unnoticed: the rangelands. From the vast savannas of Africa to the high steppes of Central Asia and the wide prairies of the Americas, these open lands are now the focus of a historic United Nations (UN) initiative. The UN has declared 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP), a global call to protect some of the world’s largest and most important ecosystems.
The idea for this recognition started in March 2022, when the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution led by the Government of Mongolia. More than 60 countries and hundreds of organizations supported the decision. The goal was to highlight that protecting rangelands is essential for achieving global environmental and food security goals. While forests often take the spotlight in climate discussions, rangelands play a quiet but huge role. They act as giant “carbon sinks,” storing significant world’s land-based carbon, and help regulate the climate.
Pastoralists, the people who live on and manage these lands, are central to this initiative. For centuries, they have moved their livestock including cattle, goats, sheep and camels, across these natural pastures, practicing a form of farming that works with nature instead of against it. IYRP 2026 aims to show that pastoralism is not an outdated way of life, but a modern, sustainable solution for food production, especially as climate change threatens global agriculture.
The timing of this initiative is urgent. Almost half of the world’s rangelands are under threat from drought, climate change, and conversion into farms or other industrial uses. This is worrying because rangelands contribute to the world’s food production and are home to many iconic animals and plants. By dedicating 2026 to rangelands and pastoralists, the UN is encouraging governments to protect these lands, support local communities, and invest in pastoral economies.
For ordinary people, this year is a reminder to see rangelands not as “empty” or unused land, but as productive, living landscapes that provide food, regulate the climate, and preserve cultures that have lasted for thousands of years. 2026 is the year to recognize pastoralists as the true guardians of the world’s grasslands.
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