Ecnomics of Rangelands Report
About the project
Rangelands, covering 54% of the world’s land surface, are vital economic assets yet severely undervalued. They support 60% of global food production and provide livelihoods for up to 500 million pastoralists, many of whom live in poverty. Despite their economic importance, up to 50% of rangelands are at risk of degradation, threatening one third of the planet’s carbon reservoirs and one sixth of global food supply.
The economic costs of mismanaged rangelands – from ineffective grazing practices to conversion for agriculture or mining – are mounting. Shifting focus from short-term gains to sustainable rangeland management is crucial to preserving these critical landscapes and their economic value.
Why a global report on the economics of rangelands?
The ELD Initiative and partners will develop a flagship report on the economics of rangelands making the business case for investments in sustainable rangeland management and restoration by demonstrating the economic values of rangeland ecosystems.
Rangeland restoration and sustainable management receive insufficient public and private investment and does not command adequate policy attention. Many relevant actors, including national governments, see investment in rangeland restoration as a low priority or do not even consider it as an option.
Although rangelands provide a wide range of values to society, these values are poorly understood and rangelands are inadequately connected to markets, contributing to very low levels of investment compared to, e.g. forests, and denying local communities opportunities to strengthen their livelihoods.
2026 marks the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists culminating in the 17th Session of Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) taking place in Mongolia from which decisive impulses and action is expected for rangelands.
The flagship report on the Economics of Rangelands will also contribute to an anticipated Rangelands Initiative of the UNCCD, which aims to increase investment in rangelands to accelerate the achievement of land degradation neutrality targets. The Rangelands Flagship Initiative will contribute to sustainable development, including poverty reduction and food security, while delivering synergy between combatting desertification, conserving biodiversity, and mitigating and adapting to climate change.
The report will adress several factors that currently contribute to a low attention to rangeland restoration, including:
- Weak understanding of the cost of rangeland degradation
- Low regard for the values produced by rangelands
- Poor understanding of rangeland restoration approaches and sustainable rangelands management
- Low appreciation of the benefits of rangeland restoration
- Little awareness of what confers resilience in rangeland systems
- Challenges in measuring progress in rangeland restoration
- Risks associated with rangeland investment, including risks of undermining pastoralists’ rights
- Governance gaps that impede investments and constrain restoration approaches