China Central Asia Joint Construction of Ecological Governance 'Green Embankment' (Global Hotspot)

On the occasion of World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, China's cooperation in helping Central Asian countries solve the ecological crisis in the Aral Sea has attracted attention. In recent years, China and Central Asian countries have conducted in-depth joint scientific investigations, promoted the treatment of saline alkali land, built demonstration areas for water-saving cotton fields, and worked together to promote a series of ecological environment governance cooperation projects, jointly building a "green embankment" for ecological governance.

Seeing the possibility of synergy between ecological management of saline alkali land and economic benefits

On the saline alkali land of the Xianhai Lake area located in Nukus, Uzbekistan, the "Photovoltaic+Cotton Water Fertilizer Integration" planting experimental demonstration zone, jointly carried out by China Power Investment Xinjiang Energy and Chemical Group Aksu Co., Ltd. and Uzbekistan Xianhai International Innovation Center, has lush cotton branches and leaves, and is surrounded by greenery from a distance.

This water-saving agriculture demonstration zone is one of the typical achievements of China Ukraine cooperation in ecological environment governance of the Xianhai Sea. Through cotton mulching drip irrigation technology, photovoltaic power generation, and intelligent water fertilizer integrated machines, the demonstration zone has achieved intelligent drip irrigation and fertilization in cotton fields, increasing cotton yield by more than twice while significantly reducing costs and water consumption.

The Salt Sea, spanning Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was once the fourth largest lake in the world. Since the second half of the 20th century, under the influence of multiple factors such as the rapid increase in water use for human activities and climate change, the area of the Aral Sea has gradually shrunk, and currently only accounts for about 10% of its original area. Due to the severe retreat of the coastline and the increase in soil salinity, a desert covering an area of over 50000 square kilometers has formed on the dried up lakebeds of the Aral Sea, making it a regrettable "tear of Central Asia". In April 2010, then United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki moon said that the drying up of the Aral Sea was "one of the most serious ecological disasters on Earth".

For many years, scientists from China and Uzbekistan have been working together to explore solutions to the ecological crisis in the Aral Sea through various forms such as joint scientific investigations, saline alkali land management, and the construction of water-saving cotton field demonstration areas. Wang Ping, a senior engineer of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the "Xinjiang Institute of Biosciences"), has frequently returned to China and Ukraine every year since he participated in the Aral Sea ecological governance cooperation project in 2018.

In the demonstration zone, photovoltaic panels, intelligent water fertilizer integrated machines, and drip irrigation systems from China can be used to automatically fertilize crops according to their needs. Compared to manual fertilization, nutrient supply is more timely and efficient. In the two years since the implementation of the project, the average yield of seed cotton per mu in the water-saving agriculture demonstration zone has reached 307 kilograms, far higher than the local average yield of 120 kilograms per mu, and the water consumption is only about 70% of the local average. The energy required for drip irrigation and fertilization mainly comes from photovoltaic power generation, "Wang Ping said in an interview with our reporter." This cooperation not only provides a technical exchange and practice base for Ukrainian scientific and technological personnel, but also allows local people to see the possibility of ecological management and economic benefits synergy in saline alkali land.

Ecological governance cooperation between China and Central Asian countries is bearing fruit

The ecological crisis in the Aral Sea is a common challenge faced by the Central Asian region, and no country can cope alone, "said Sharofeddin Turaganov, a political observer in Uzbekistan. The cooperation between Ukraine and China in ecological governance of the Aral Sea has proven effective, and China's contribution is admirable. This is not only related to the ecological governance of the Aral Sea, but also a practical manifestation of improving people's livelihoods and enhancing trust

Desertification is a common challenge faced by China and Central Asian countries. In 2023, China proposed at the first China Central Asia Summit that it is willing to work with Central Asian countries to promote the resolution of the ecological crisis in the Aral Sea.

For the past two years, Chinese researchers have been promoting integrated, experimental, and demonstration projects of photovoltaic technology in the ecological environment governance of the Aral Sea. In the vast saline alkali land, ecological governance cooperation between China and Central Asian countries is blossoming and bearing fruit.

The Xinjiang Institute of Geology has long-term experience in conducting research on soil desertification and salinization control, as well as leading technological achievements in China. In recent years, the Xinjiang Institute of Geology has collaborated with the International Innovation Center of the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan to develop a plan for the management of the Aral Sea. Through joint scientific research, salinization control, desertification control, water-saving agriculture and other technical cooperation, new models for ecological management of the Aral Sea have been explored, "said Wang Ping.

Nowadays, China and Central Asian countries have cooperated to build platforms such as the SCO Agricultural Base and the Central Asian Agricultural Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, laying the foundation for deepening bilateral agricultural technology cooperation. Northwest A&F University has built 8 overseas agricultural science and technology demonstration parks in Central Asia, focusing on advantageous disciplines such as crop breeding, pest control, water-saving irrigation, animal husbandry and veterinary medicine, saline alkali land management and development, and food processing. China's technological advantages in dryland agriculture, cultivation techniques, water-saving irrigation, and pest control in saline alkali land improvement are helping Central Asian countries improve food productivity and promote agricultural energy transformation.

Habibullayev, Director of the Xianhai International Innovation Center, believes that "China has accumulated advanced technologies and fruitful achievements in desertification prevention and control, water-saving agriculture, and other fields. We hope that in the future, all parties will strengthen cooperation and promote ecological governance in Central Asia to continue to deepen and solidify

Share China's existing experience and ecological governance insights without fail

At the recently held Second China Central Asia Summit, China and the five Central Asian countries issued the Astana Declaration, stating that all parties are willing to promote technology and talent exchange and cooperation in the fields of desertification and saline alkali land management and development, water-saving irrigation, pest control, animal husbandry and veterinary medicine, and enhance the resilience of agricultural systems for sustainable development. Habibullayev, Director of the Xianhai International Innovation Center, believes that "China has accumulated advanced technologies and fruitful achievements in desertification prevention and control, water-saving agriculture, and other fields. We hope that in the future, all parties will strengthen cooperation and promote ecological governance in Central Asia to continue to deepen and solidify

In the cooperation with Central Asian countries on ecological environment governance, we have been focusing on strengthening the joint training of scientific and technological talents and enhancing the independent ability of Central Asian countries in ecological environment governance, "Wang Ping said. I have experience and insights into ecological governance

Promoting the resolution of the ecological crisis in the Aral Sea is a microcosm of China's participation in global desertification control. As a signatory to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, China has been actively fulfilling its obligations, solidly carrying out international cooperation in desertification prevention and control, and injecting momentum into the global South's pursuit of green development. In recent years, China has developed the "the Belt and Road" cooperation mechanism to combat desertification, established China Arab and China Mongolia desertification control centers, established demonstration bases for desertification prevention and control in Mongolia, Central Asia, Africa and other places, held the Kubuqi International Desert Forum for nine consecutive times, and also shared desertification control technology and experience with Central Asian and African countries that also face desertification problems, and provided skills training.

As Valerie Hickey, Director of the Global Environment Department at the World Bank, has stated, countries in the global South have limited funds and need to use scarce resources as growth engines. China's desertification control model is a "beacon of hope" for countries committed to addressing desertification, providing a "roadmap" to success.