Link: https://www.rfi.fr/en/environment/20260825-france-says-us-risks-blocking-everything-at-un-talks-to-protect-world-soils-cop17-desertification

The summit in Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar has entered its second and decisive week, traditionally when ministers and other senior political figures step in to try to resolve issues negotiators have so far been unable to settle.

One of the main sticking points is whether countries should tackle land degradation alongside climate change, biodiversity loss and water scarcity, rather than treating each problem separately.

A former French ecological transition minister, Pompili says protecting soil cannot be separated from food, water, energy and the economy.

She spoke to RFI from Ulaanbaatar about the risk of deadlock, what France wants from the talks, and how the United States is "blocking progress on many issues".

Protecting your country's soil is something you can do without the blessing of Donald J. Trump.

?

As the article says, desertification is linked to climate change and biodiversity loss, two things the United States are refusing to acknowledge. Since the committee operates on consensus, they can't move forward.

The article also says:

Desertification is caused largely by intensive agriculture and livestock farming, as well as urban expansion and mining.

Those are all issues that are handled internally.

I get it: the United States sucks. But this just seems like buck passing. If France, of all places, wants to protect its soil, it can do substantively do so.

True, there are a lot of things individual countries can do on their own, but this is the UN, which is (supposed to be) more focused on consensus and global solutions.