In September 2025, the 76th United Nations General Assembly declared 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP). Rangelands have finally begun to receive the level of attention that they deserve and that is commensurate with their importance. What are rangelands? Rangelands are areas of land primarily covered by grasses, extending from the Arctic tundra to the prairies and pampas of the Americas. Rangelands occupy approximately 50% of the Earth's land mass. However, the significance of these expanses for biodiversity, climate change mitigation, food security, and the water cycle is often underappreciated and misinterpreted. A considerable portion of the rangelands has been degraded to a certain extent, and the nation's land policies are not sufficiently aligned to support the land use rights of pastoralists. Consequently, rangelands are often underappreciated and susceptible to conversion to more lucrative uses. The concept of "improvement" can be applied to various domains, including infrastructure, where it may refer to the installation of solar panels or mining operations. In the context of afforestation, the term "improvement" can be associated with the storage of carbon, a key aspect of environmental sustainability. The agricultural sector also falls under the umbrella of "improvement," particularly in instances where land is utilized for agricultural purposes despite its suboptimal conditions.
The deterioration of rangelands is frequently associated with overgrazing, which results in a further reduction of animal populations. This is a persistent misunderstanding of the interaction between herbivores and plants (grasses). Rangelands emerge as a consequence of the presence of herbivores. The evolution of rangelands is a result of a co-evolutionary process between herbivores and grasses. Rangelands experience degradation due to human (mis)management. The salient factor is not the quantity of animals but rather the temporal aspect of grazing. The ongoing decline in wildlife populations has led to an increased reliance on pastoralists and their flocks to ensure the integrity of rangelands.
Rangelands, when managed effectively, have the potential to sequester carbon often at a higher rate than forests. However, this important aspect is often overlooked in both climate research and policy discourse. Well-managed grasslands with mineral soils have the capacity to sequester up to 40 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per hectare per year. The carbon is stored as soil organic carbon and is resilient to weather events and fire. However, this carbon storage is not resilient to mismanagement, and if converted to agriculture, it will release a significant part of the carbon. The carbon storage in soil has another "side effect": It has been demonstrated that an augmentation of 1% in soil organic matter can engender an increase of up to 40 m2 in water storage per hectare. It is imperative to conceptualize the ramifications of this phenomenon on the water cycle and terrestrial productivity. Finally, intact tropical grassland biomes are home to a rich biodiversity that is only slightly less than that of tropical rainforests.
In addition to their function in water management, ecology, and climate mitigation, rangelands play a significant role in ensuring food security for 14% of the global population. The social component is frequently even less recognized than the ecological component. The existence of a nexus between rangeland, peace, and security is well-documented. Rangeland degradation has been identified as a catalyst for social conflict, underscoring the necessity for effective sustainable rangeland management strategies. Such measures are imperative for preventing social unrest and maintaining peaceful coexistence.
Over the course of my approximately two decades of experience working in development finance, I have encountered numerous projects that have been framed as climate mitigation initiatives, with a particular emphasis on the conversion of rangelands, such as through afforestation. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been a developing finance project that has invested in rangelands and rangeland restoration. It is my considered opinion that the financial risks are reduced, the developmental impact (income for local people, food security) is enhanced, and there is a concomitant reduction in the potential for conflict. Furthermore, biodiversity can be integrated and livestock can coexist with wildlife. The climate mitigation effect is comparable or even better to that of afforestation.
The rationale behind the preference for afforestation over rangeland restoration is not readily apparent. Investing in rangeland restoration may offer less lucrative prospects for the agroindustry, including the sale of fertilizer, pesticides, and machinery. Moreover, a considerable bias against livestock is evident, particularly within the Western world.
In Europe, a member of the European Parliament, Martin Häusling, has commissioned a study as the inaugural initiative for the International Year of Rangeland (IYRP): Protection and Utilizing Global Grazing Systems. On January 27, the authors presented the study via Zoom, and it is available for download from Martin Häusling's website. (https://www.martin-haeusling.eu/images/Protecting_and_utilizing_global_grazing_systems_Martin_H%C3%A4usling_MdEP_January_2026.pdf). The aforementioned content, along with its corresponding references, is thoroughly delineated in the present study.
Share this article: