Monday marked the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, dedicated by the United Nations to raise awareness about the critical impacts of these environmental challenges. This year's theme, \"United for Land. Our Legacy. Our Future,\" emphasizes the urgent need for collective action to preserve vital land resources for coming generations.
In a significant step forward, China and Mongolia have been collaborating to address desertification, a global issue with severe implications for biodiversity, eco-safety, poverty reduction, and sustainable development. In September 2023, the China-Mongolia Desertification Prevention and Control Cooperation Center was inaugurated in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital.
China has committed to using the center as a platform to support Mongolia's ambitious goal of planting a billion trees between 2021 and 2030. Additionally, China has been sharing advanced sand control technologies through joint seminars and demonstration activities. Since 2017, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been running a 27-hectare project in Mongolia's Bulgan Province, demonstrating methods to stabilize mobile and semi-mobile sand dunes and enhance vegetation growth.
Furthering their partnership, China is expected to establish monitoring stations in Mongolia's desert regions to provide early warnings for sandstorms. Both nations have pledged to continue their collaborative efforts to reduce sandstorms and promote ecological security on the Mongolian Plateau.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
