Mon, Aug 5, 2013 - Following
a major meeting on drylands held in China's
Kubuqi desert, the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) has announced fresh support
for projects tackling desertification in
Asia.
Kubuqi (China) / Nairobi,
05 August 2013 - Tackling desertification
and harnessing the economic opportunities
from renewable energy, desert tourism and
other sustainable development projects in
drylands are the focus of new agreements
signed by the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) and partners in China.
Renewed collaboration
between UNEP, the United Nations Convention
to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the
Beijing-based Elion Foundation was announced
at the conclusion of the Kubuqi International
Desert Forum - the only international forum
dedicated to supporting the green development
of the world's deserts, held in Inner Mongolia.
The Elion Foundation is a non-profit organization
that supports desertification control, local
community development and education in the
Kubuqi region (China's seventh largest desert)
and beyond.
UNEP signed Memoranda
of Understanding with the Foundation that
aim to improve the management of dryland
ecosystems.
Collaboration will include
support for pilot projects in China, Mongolia,
and other countries in Central Asia, including
payment for ecosystem services projects,
as well as investments in initiatives to
improve the sharing of knowledge, technology
and data on desertification between developing
countries.
The Elion Foundation
is associated with the Elion Resources Group,
which is active in a number of desert-based
industries including the cultivation of
plants for the pharmaceutical industry,
agriculture, and renewable energy.
"Desertification
continues to be an important challenge for
China, but investments by government and
the private sector have led to some major
successes, including the reversal of desertification
trends in some regions," said UN Under-Secretary-General
and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
"As demonstrated
by companies attending this forum, there
are major economic opportunities in a desert
green economy. By investing in natural capital,
ecological restoration projects and clean
technologies, businesses can tap into new
markets in desert tourism, renewable energy
and other sectors. When managed sustainably,
such actions can stem the tide of desertification,
and support healthy, productive ecosystems
in the world's drylands," added Mr.
Steiner.
During the Kubuqi International
Desert Forum, UNEP led a special session
for Chinese entrepreneurs entitled Investing
in Natural Capital to Create Corporate Value.
The event included a presentation of UNEP's
recent GEO-5 for Business report.
Launched in June 2013,
the study shows how changes in the global
environment - from desertification and climate
change, to pollution and extreme weather
events - will have a rising impact on operating
costs, markets for products, the availability
of raw materials, and the reputation of
businesses across the globe.
Such environmental changes,
says the UNEP report, can also provide opportunities
for businesses to adopt greener business
models, and come up with innovate products
to meet the growing demand for sustainable
technologies, investments and services.
During the Forum, UNEP
Executive Director Achim Steiner also held
a bilateral meeting with Wan Gang, China's
Minister of Science and Technology, and
Zhao Shucong, Minister of State Forestry
Administration.
In China, over 2.6 million
square kilometres of land are affected by
desertification - equivalent to over quarter
of the country's total territory and home
to over 400 million people. Impacts on communities
include dust storms, and the loss of farmland.
On a global level, around
one third of the world's population is impacted
by desertification and drought. According
to the UNCCD, a lack of collective action
on desertification could lead to enhanced
global risks from conflict, forced migrations
and food and water insecurity.
Over 300 delegates from
governments, businesses, and environmental
organizations attended Kubuqi International
Desert Forum, including Yukio Hatoyama,
Former Prime Minister of Japan, and Mike
Moore, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand.
UNCCD Executive Secretary
Luc Gnacadja signed a five-year strategic
cooperation plan with the Elion Foundation
at the event to facilitate international
efforts to combat desertification.
