BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 26. Uzbekistan, China
and Mongolia discussed green technologies and scientific solutions
for restoring degraded land and improving sustainable pasture
management.
This was reflected in the statement by the National Committee on
Ecology and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, following a side event at
the 17th session of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification
(UNCCD COP17).
The event, titled “Green Technologies for Sustainable Pasture
Restoration and Combating Desertification,” brought together
experts and representatives from the three countries, as well as
researchers from the Alliance of National and International Science
Organizations in Regions of the Belt and Road (ANSO), the Mongolian
Academy of Sciences and China’s Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and
Geography.
The discussions focused on practical and innovative approaches
to restoring degraded ecosystems and improving the long-term
productivity of dryland areas.
Erkin Mukhtidinov, director of Uzbekistan’s Agency for
Increasing Forests and Green Zones and Combating Desertification
under the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change, said
the scale of land degradation requires a systematic response.
About 30 million hectares of Uzbekistan’s territory consist of
natural desert and arid landscapes, while more than 11 million
hectares are classified as degraded. Around 70% of the country’s
territory is exposed to desertification risks.
“Restoration cannot be based on fragmented measures. We need
solutions that are scientifically sound, technologically tested,
measurable and scalable,” Mukhtidinov said.
The event placed particular emphasis on international scientific
cooperation. Uzbekistan is working with Chinese research
institutions, including the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and
Geography, on ecosystem restoration, combating desertification,
developing halophyte gardens, introducing drought- and
salt-resistant plants, environmental monitoring and more efficient
water management.
A Uzbekistan-China Research Center for Ecology and Environment
of Central Asia was opened in Tashkent in November 2025, providing
a platform for further scientific research and practical
cooperation.
Uzbekistan proposed moving from individual research projects
toward joint regional technology programs. Among the initiatives
were the creation of a Central Asian-North Asian Laboratory for
Dryland Technologies and Projects, development of a regional
standard for assessing the quality of land restoration and a
monitoring, reporting and verification system, as well as a joint
program for sustainable pasture management and community
development.
The proposed projects could test technologies for sand
stabilization, pasture restoration, drought- and salt-resistant
vegetation, precision water use, and digital and satellite-based
environmental monitoring.
Uzbekistan also offered pilot sites in Karakalpakstan, Bukhara,
Navoi and other arid regions to test and demonstrate advanced
land-restoration technologies.
Participants said combining the expertise of Uzbekistan,
Mongolia, China and other countries could help move dryland
research from isolated projects toward joint technology development
and large-scale implementation, while supporting the emergence of
more sustainable and productive dryland economies.
