Drylands are found in tropical and temperate latitudes and account for 41.3% of the global terrestrial area. They can be classified into four types – dry sub-humid, semi-arid, arid and hyper-arid lands – encompassing a variety of ecosystems.  

• The goal of the Global Drylands Initiative is to restore, sustainably manage and protect dryland ecosystems for multiple environmental, economic and social benefits.  
• The Initiative supports countries to adapt ecosystem management policy and practice to the unique conditions of the drylands and to the evolving challenges that the drylands face.  

• Further, as the IUCN Focal Point to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the Global Drylands Initiative leads IUCN’s efforts to influence the global discource on Land Degradation and Sustainable Land Management.  
• In this case, the Initiative supports countries to implement their commitments to the Convention by demonstrating good practices on the ground, influencing the science-policy interaction of the Convention itself and working with other stakeholders to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality. 

Source: IUCN