The United Nations has designated 2026 as the ‘International Year for Rangelands and Pastoralists.’ This focus highlights problems facing grasslands and the pastoral communities that rely on them.
In 2022, scientists from multiple countries released an open letter urging the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to expand its climate goals to include grasslands and savannahs, which are often overshadowed by forests in climate discussions. They pointed out that these ecosystems are vital carbon sinks. Unfortunately, the UNFCCC talks have not successfully addressed these issues.
At the recent COP30 climate talks in Belém, Brazil, most discussions centered on forests, particularly the Amazon. The launch of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, aimed at funding forest preservation, excited many. However, the event revealed a significant gap in the global climate agenda, as other vital ecosystems continued to be overlooked.
Samantha Murray, the CEO of Indigenous Desert Alliance, emphasized the urgent needs of desert communities affected by climate change. She highlighted that grasslands, which make up more than a third of Australia, face threats from invasive species, wildfires, and climate extremes. Indigenous methods of land management, such as controlled burns, are often ignored, which can exacerbate these threats.
In Australia, the desert grasslands are suffering more from droughts and floods. Organizations like the Indigenous Desert Alliance are working hard to protect these areas through traditional land management practices, yet awareness among the broader public remains low. Samantha noted that many people still don’t connect climate change to its impacts on deserts.
This lack of intersection also echoes in Brazil’s Cerrado, one of the world’s most biodiverse savannahs. The Cerrado is under immense pressure from agriculture and climate change, suffering more significant range loss than the Amazon. At COP30, advocates brought attention to the importance of the Cerrado, highlighting its role in maintaining Brazil’s water systems.
Recent data shows that 70% of Brazil’s agricultural waste is dumped in the Cerrado, highlighting the need for public policies that protect local ecosystems and empower marginalized communities living there.
Efforts to raise awareness about grasslands have gained some traction at international climate conferences. Organizations like the World Wide Fund for Nature have called for integrating grasslands into climate negotiations. Their report stresses that recognizing grasslands in national climate action plans can enhance global climate efforts.
In India, the situation is similar, with grasslands impacted by conflicting governmental policies. A white paper reveals that 18 different ministries manage grasslands, often with conflicting objectives. Aligning these efforts and recognizing grasslands as essential carbon sinks could strengthen India’s climate initiatives.
Connecting the dots between various international and national policies is crucial for the survival of grassland ecosystems. A recent call from Brazilian researchers urges adopting an Ecosystem-Based Approach to prioritize open ecosystems in climate actions.
By valuing grasslands for their ecological services and creating unified policies, there’s potential for widespread improvement in preserving these vital ecosystems. This includes ensuring that local communities have rights over their land and can practice traditional management without interference.
Protecting grasslands calls for collaborative efforts, prioritizing science and community needs over the interests of industries that threaten these ecosystems.
For more information on grassland preservation, you can refer to the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Sutirtha Lahiri is a PhD student specializing in conservation science at the University of Minnesota.
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