Editorial — For decades, global policy has treated land rights and land administration as technical matters, often peripheral to climate finance, agricultural transformation, urban growth and economic development. In 2025, this began to change. 

The year marked a measurable shift in how land is positioned within development policy, with growing recognition that secure tenure underpins restoration, energy transition, disaster resilience and social stability. The question for governments, development finance institutions and civil society is whether the momentum witnessed in 2025 can translate into meaningful implementation in the near future. 

If 2025 was the year land gained policy visibility, 2026 will need to be the year that systems modernise, rights are secured at scale and investment decisions consistently account for tenure realities.

Progress in 2025: A Notable Redirection of Global Attention

A key development this year was the increasing alignment between land governance and climate ambition. At the World Bank Land Conference in Washington in May, discussions linked land administration modernisation, tenure security and geospatial systems directly to climate resilience, sustainable infrastructure and economic opportunity.

This framing was significant because the Bank is a major financier of land administration reforms globally, and its policy emphasis often shapes national investment decisions.

Momentum around rights-based approaches was bolstered through the International Land Coalition’s Global Land Forum held in Bogotá in June. Delegates highlighted that forest protection, biodiversity restoration and food system resilience depend on secure land rights, particularly for indigenous peoples, pastoralists and rural communities. 

The forum reinforced principles long promoted within civil society — that communities managing ecosystems require recognition, participation and legal protection to sustain stewardship.

Technical advancement also continued. The International Federation of Surveyors’ Working Week and associated geospatial gatherings advanced Fit-for-Purpose Land Administration (FFPLA) as a workable pathway to lower-cost, scalable land registration. 

The Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) expanded training in the Social Tenure Domain Model, which enables recognition of rights not traditionally captured in formal cadastres. These developments are relevant to governments seeking to strengthen tenure without incurring prohibitive surveying costs.

Meanwhile, discussions around restoration finance continued to build following the establishment of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership (RGDRP) at the UNCCD COP16 held in Riyadh, December 2024. Quite notably, donor interest in drought resilience and soil rehabilitation increased in 2025, with more explicit reference to tenure as a condition for long-term investment.

Although financing instruments are still evolving, the shift in language matters. Restoration projects that proceed without secure rights risk exclusion or conflict; those grounded in tenure security can improve incomes, ecological outcomes and cooperation.

These strands — policy attention, civil society pressure, technical pathways and climate-linked financing — collectively mark 2025 as a year of consolidation. Land governance did not resolve its complexities, but the sector entered global development debates with more clarity and urgency than in previous cycles.

Where Challenges Persist

Despite progress, underlying weaknesses remain. The most pressing is the implementation gap. Many countries have policy frameworks supporting formalisation and registration, yet millions still lack documentation. Projects often remain confined to pilot phases, dependent on grant funding and vulnerable to political turnover. Where reforms do scale, they can struggle to keep pace with population growth, urbanisation or shifting land markets.

The interaction between land governance and climate finance also requires clearer operational safeguards. As funding commitments for restoration and carbon markets grow, tenure insecurity risks displacement, contested access and resource conflict. 

A “tenure-aware” financing model — where rights are mapped, recognised and integrated into project design — would help mitigate these risks. The sector increasingly acknowledges this, but consistent adoption across financing portfolios has not yet been realised.

Recognition of customary and communal land remains uneven. In many states, customary systems support livelihoods and social cohesion, yet lack full legal standing. Without recognition, rural communities remain vulnerable where land is reallocated for infrastructure, commercial farming or minerals extraction. Legislative reform and practical mechanisms for communal titling require sustained political will and administrative capacity, both of which vary widely.

Data governance poses another challenge. Digital cadastres and satellite-based mapping expand possibilities for transparency and valuation, but without shared standards and long-term custodianship models, systems can fragment. Data privacy, land information security and inclusion are also emerging areas of concern. Improved geospatial capability will need to be matched with regulations that protect communities while enabling interoperability.

Gender inequality continues to shape land access in many regions. While women contribute significantly to agriculture, natural resource management and household resilience, legal and cultural barriers often limit ownership. Programmes that do not intentionally address gender disparity risk reinforcing existing inequities.

A Forward Agenda for 2026

With policy momentum now more visible, 2026 offers an opportunity for the land governance community to shift emphasis from commitment to delivery. Several areas stand out.

Scaling fit-for-purpose land administration systems could provide a realistic route to wider tenure security. Governments may consider setting national targets, supported by financing models that recognise the long-term value of secure tenure for investment, credit access and spatial planning. Implementation may require professional training, regulatory updates and public information campaigns to build trust and participation.

Integration of tenure considerations into climate and restoration finance will be important. Funding agencies could incorporate tenure diagnostics into project appraisal processes, and encourage benefit-sharing structures that reflect local rights. Evidence from land-use change and displacement contexts suggests that when communities maintain rights and voice, environmental interventions are more durable.

Legal recognition of customary and communal tenure deserves sustained policy attention. Legislative processes can be lengthy, but interim measures — such as community certificates, participatory mapping and legal aid support — may provide protection while reforms advance. Comparative experiences across Africa, Latin America and parts of Asia show that incremental recognition can reduce conflict and strengthen land stewardship.

National data governance frameworks will become increasingly relevant as cadastres expand. Clear standards for geospatial interoperability, data privacy, consent and dispute resolution can support more transparent markets and improve state revenue. Investment in data stewardship roles within land agencies could help maintain system integrity.

Finally, mainstreaming gender in land policy will require measurable goals. Joint titling mechanisms, legal literacy programmes and monitoring frameworks could help close ownership gaps. When women hold secure rights, research consistently links this to improved household welfare, agricultural outcomes and resilience.

A Sector Prepared for its Next Phase

What stood out in 2025 was not simply the quantity of land-related meetings, reports or declarations, but the convergence of agendas. Climate actors increasingly acknowledge tenure. Professional bodies are building tools that governments can use at scale. Civil society continues to insist that rights and justice must sit at the centre of governance. Development finance institutions are showing greater willingness to support land reforms with the potential to shape national development trajectories.

The progress is real, but fragile. Without sustained investment and political commitment, gains risk plateauing. Yet if the sector approaches 2026 with coordinated focus — prioritising implementation, legal recognition, safeguards, data governance and gender equality — the year could mark a decisive step towards wider tenure security.

LPN Global will contribute through multimedia storytelling that informs, inspires, and drives action research, multimedia storytelling, sector monitoring, policy and programme guidance. 

In a few short weeks, we will release the very first edition of the new ‘Global Land Sector Forecast 2026’ examining regional trends, opportunities for policy leadership and areas where collaboration can accelerate progress. The aim is practical: to help decision-makers act strategically in a year when land governance may matter more than ever.

The sector stands at a point of inflection. With clear priorities and sustained commitment, 2026 can transform emerging momentum into outcomes felt in communities, markets and ecosystems. Secure land rights are not an abstract ideal. They are a foundation for dignity, real progress and resilience. The work ahead requires immense focus and persistence — but the way forward is abundantly clear.