Context: While global climate summits like COP30 frequently center on tropical forests, a growing chorus of scientists and indigenous leaders is demanding that **grasslands and savannahs** be given equal priority. Often misclassified as “wastelands” or “empty spaces,” these ecosystems are potent carbon sinks and biodiversity hotspots that are currently being overlooked in national and international climate plans.

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The Amazon vs. The Cerrado: At the COP30 summit in Belém, Brazil, the spotlight remained firmly on the Amazon. However, scientists point out that Brazil’s **Cerrado (savannah)** is facing twice as much habitat loss as the rainforest, despite housing eight of Brazil’s twelve major water systems.
The Carbon Sink Argument: While forests store carbon in their biomass (trunks and leaves), grasslands store the majority of their carbon **underground** in vast root systems. This makes them more resilient carbon sinks during wildfires, as the carbon remains sequestered in the soil even if the surface burns.

A Global Recognition: The United Nations has declared **2026** as the “International Year for Rangelands and Pastoralists,” aiming to bring these ecosystems out of the shadow of forestry.
Indigenous Stewardship: Organizations like the **Indigenous Desert Alliance (IDA)** in Australia manage desert grasslands that cover a third of the continent, using traditional fire regimes to prevent high-intensity wildfires that release massive amounts of .

Agricultural Expansion: Large-scale agribusiness often converts “open” grasslands into monoculture plantations or crop fields, releasing centuries of stored soil carbon.
Invasive Species: In Australia, the **buffel grass** (*Cenchrus ciliaris*) has replaced native species; it burns with much higher intensity, damaging the ecosystem’s ability to recover.
Afforestation Missteps: Well-intentioned but misguided “green” policies often involve planting trees in natural grasslands, which can actually destroy the local biodiversity and disrupt water tables.

Territorial Rights: Protecting the Cerrado or the Australian Outback is inextricably linked to the land rights of indigenous peoples and **Quilombolas** (Afro-descendant communities in Brazil).
Toxic Waste: In Brazil, nearly **70% of agricultural toxic waste** is dumped in the Cerrado, endangering both the ecology and the traditional communities who rely on its water systems.
Inclusive Policy: Experts argue that true conservation requires the official recognition of traditional land management techniques, such as controlled grazing and cultural burning.

The Three Conventions: Currently, grasslands fall into a “silo” trap between three different UN bodies:
UNFCCC: Focuses on carbon management (mostly forests).
UNCBD: Focuses on biodiversity.
UNCCD: Focuses on desertification and land degradation.
The Policy Recommendation: A joint report by the **WWF** and **IUCN** titled *”Protecting the Overlooked Carbon Sink”* urges these bodies to integrate their goals so that grasslands are recognized in **Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)**.

Policy Fragmentation: A white paper by **ATREE** (Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment) revealed that Indian grasslands are governed by 18 different ministries with competing interests.
The “Wasteland” Problem: The Ministry of Rural Development’s “Wasteland Atlas of India” often categorizes healthy grasslands as wastelands, making them prime targets for industrial conversion or inappropriate afforestation.
NDC Opportunities: India’s goal to create a carbon sink of **2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of equivalent** could be more easily met if the government shifted focus from just “tree cover” to include the restoration of native grasslands.

A New Pathway: Researchers are urging governments to adopt the **Ecosystem-Based Approach**, which views open ecosystems as essential for climate adaptation.
Hydrological Security: Grasslands act like giant sponges; by protecting them, countries ensure the health of their river systems and groundwater recharge, which is vital for surviving the “flash floods and dry spells” of the climate crisis.

Unified Governance: From the national level in India to the multilateral level at the UN, governing bodies must align to stop treating grasslands as “empty spaces” awaiting trees.
Funding Parity: Grassland conservation receives a fraction of the funding directed toward tropical forests. International facilities like the **Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)** need counterparts for rangelands.
Prioritizing Science: Success depends on prioritizing ecological science and civil society voices over the powerful fossil fuel and large-scale agribusiness lobbies.

Grasslands & Climate Action – Global Policy Quiz

Instructions

Total Questions: 15

Time: 15 Minutes

Each question has 5 options. Multiple answers may be correct.

Time Left: 15:00