Urumqi, China – November 28, 2025 –Azamat Kauazov, Programme Manager for Climate Change and Sustainable Energy at the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), presented the experience of the Central Asian region at the international seminar “Scientific Report on Measures to Combat Desertification along the Belt and Road.”
The event, held from November 21 to 25 in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, brought together leading experts from across the globe to discuss the pressing challenges of land degradation.
The seminar, organized by the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XIEG CAS) in cooperation with the Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO), was held under the theme “Sharing Scientific Cases on Combating Sandstorms: Jointly Building a Green Belt and Road.”
Participants, including representatives of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Pan-African Agency of the Great Green Wall (PAGGW), and other international institutions, focused on developing a scientific report on land degradation in the Belt and Road regions.
According to the organizers, more than 60 countries along the One Belt, One Road initiative face severe threats of desertification, and four of the six economic corridors are affected by this problem to varying degrees.
Azamat Kauazov delivered a presentation titled “CAREC’s Experience in Climate Change Adaptation and Desertification Mitigation in Central Asia.” In his talk, he highlighted practical examples of regional initiatives on ecosystem restoration, sustainable water resource management, and drought mitigation.
“Central Asia is one of the region’s most vulnerable to desertification, and our experience can contribute to global efforts to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN),” noted Azamat Kauazov.
Azamat Kauazov also held a working meeting with Zhang Xiangjun, Vice Director of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG). The parties discussed promising cooperation areas between CAREC and XIEG in combating desertification, climate change adaptation, and sustainable development in Central Asia and China. They expressed mutual interest in further collaboration, including potential joint projects and knowledge exchange within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
On November 23–24, a field visit was organized for the seminar participants to several sites, including the National Observation and Research Station for Desert-Steppe Ecosystems in Cele.
Participants observed practical examples of land restoration on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, including the world’s longest ecological barrier belt with a total length of 3,046 km.
Contact information:
Azamat Kauazov Programme Manager, Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) cacip@carececo.org