TV BRICS to present new television project on tackling land degradation at UN international conference in Mongolia

The TV BRICS International Media Network has highlighted the global issue of land degradation and outlined ways to tackle it in its new documentary, "Earth. Lifelines". The television project concludes TV BRICS’s large-scale media campaign in support of the Silk Road Caravan initiative, launched in 2026 by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

The premiere of "Earth. Lifelines" will take place on 26 August 2026 at the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, which opened in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia). The following day, 27 August, the programme will be broadcast on TV BRICS. It will subsequently be adapted into the main languages of the BRICS countries and distributed to the media network’s partners for international broadcast.

Yasmine Fouad, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, stated on the BRICSterview programme on TV BRICS that the Silk Road Caravan initiative is evolving from raising awareness to practical action on the ground: "Low-income and lower-middle-income countries would be at the top of the list. We are talking about 75 countries that have already developed their drought management plans and are in need of support. […] The UNCCD, together with the international financial institutions, other UN agencies, partners and the private sector, is to demonstrate that investment in drought resilience and land restoration can be bankable. In doing so, we are encouraging greater private sector participation in mitigating land degradation, reducing the impacts of drought and combating desertification.”

The documentary film "Earth. Lifelines" (running time 39 minutes) focuses on the Russian section of the Silk Road Caravan route, which passed through three regions of the Russian Federation – the Republic of Dagestan, the Republic of Kalmykia and the Astrakhan Region. The project highlights successful practices in sustainable pasture management, biodiversity conservation, phytoremediation and rational water use and showcases examples of effective collaboration between the state, the scientific community and local communities to address an issue affecting the environment, the economy and society. Representatives of the UN, specialists and practitioners in the field of agriculture, and experts from various countries – including Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Russia, and Tunisia – contributed to the making of the film.

"Widespread media coverage of the issue of land degradation is of paramount importance for addressing the challenges facing the global community. The media have the potential to shape an environmentally responsible society by fostering a respectful attitude towards soil as one of our key natural resources. International cooperation on information sharing can contribute to a deeper understanding of land degradation processes and serve as an effective mechanism for disseminating practical knowledge. For Russia, these issues are of particular importance, given its vast territory and significant contribution to global food security. Preserving soil fertility, rational land use and effective water resource management are essential prerequisites for stable agricultural production. In this context, the Russian Federation has supported the Silk Road Caravan – 2026 initiative. It is extremely important that such an event has received the media coverage it deserves. In particular, the TV BRICS International Media Network has produced a documentary entitled 'Earth. Lifelines', which showcases Russia’s experience in combating drought and land degradation. Such media productions are designed to foster responsible attitudes towards natural resources within society, with a view to preserving our planet for future generations," noted Kirill Logvinov, Director of the Department of International Organisations at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The premiere of the documentary "Earth. Lifelines" on TV BRICS channels will take place on 27 August at 12:00, 17:00 and 22:00 Moscow time. It will be repeated on 29 August at 13:00 and 19:30 Moscow time.

TV BRICS is an official partner of the United Nations. In 2025, the UN Global Compact Network Russia joined the media network as a partner. In 2026, TV BRICS acted as the international media partner for the Silk Road Caravan initiative of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.