The launching ceremony for the International Program Office (IPO) of the ANSO “Green Aral Sea Initiative” was held at Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, CAS

15 09, 2021

The launching ceremony for the International Program Office (IPO) of the ANSO “Green Aral Sea Initiative”was held at Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, CAS (XIEG) on September 12th, 2021. The ceremony was presided over by XIEG Party Secretary Dong Yunshe. Academician BAI Chunli, President of the Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO) and WANG Yongming, Chairman of Xinjiang Science and Technology Association jointly unveiled the IPO.

On behalf of ANSO, BAI Chunli congratulated the launching of the Office. He said that the Aral Sea ecological crisis is an ecological problem faced by all countries in Central Asia and a major challenge in achieving regional sustainable development. The Aral Sea issue has drawn extensive attention from Central Asian countries, relevant United Nations organizations and the international community, and become one of the important topics and priority objectives of ANSO. The establishment of the IPO will promote comprehensive management of the Aral Sea region and provide a best practice platform for regional multilateral cooperation.

CAO Jinghua, Executive Director of ANSO Secretariat, read out the relevant documents on the establishment of the Office. He said that the launching of the Office had got strong support from ANSO’s governing board and its Central Asian member units, and was a useful exploration of ANSO's strategic actions.

XIEG Director ZHANG Yuanming introduced the background, action plan and near-future work priorities of the IPO. He said that the Office would launch the "Joint Research Project with NSFC and UNEP — “Vegetation-Soil-Hydrological Processes and Synergistic Management-Technical System and Application in the Areas of Desertification of the Aral Sea”, start the ANSO Green Aral Sea Youth Innovation Fund, and hold a meeting on "green Aral Sea".

In November 2020, ANSO and XIEG co-held the "International Symposium on Ecological Restoration and Management of the Aral Sea", at which more than 20 scientific research institutions from home and abroad jointly launched the "Green Aral Sea Initiative". In order to promote the implementation of the initiative and deliver relevant achievements into tangible benefits, XIEG decided to establish a project office for the initiative. The Office is supported by ANSO, and jointly established by XIEG, CAS Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Kazakhstan Academy of Sciences, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, Kyrgyzstan Academy of Sciences and Tajikistan Academy of Sciences.

The Office will strengthen further cooperation with Central Asia, apply scientific innovation technology to address the challenges faced by the Aral Sea and Central Asia, and serve to improve regional environment and people's well-being.

Source: QIAO Jianfang, XIEG