The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has pledged to extend Chinese experience and technology in combating desertification and land degradation to other countries.
Erik Solheim, United Nations Undersecretary-General and UNEP Executive Director, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Wang Wenbiao, chairman of the Elion Resources Group and president of Elion Foundation, on Sunday in Kubuqi Desert in Ordos, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has pledged to extend Chinese experience and technology in combating desertification and land degradation to other countries.
Erik Solheim, United Nations Undersecretary-General and UNEP Executive Director, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Wang Wenbiao, chairman of the Elion Resources Group and president of Elion Foundation, on Sunday in Kubuqi Desert in Ordos, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
The model Elion has pioneered in the Kubuqi Desert is very "inspiring" and they "treat the desert not as an enemy or a problem but an opportunity," Solheim told reporters after a three-day visit to the desert.
Elion has achieved remarkable success in desertification control in the past three decades in Kubuqi Desert that involves ecological restoration, herbal plant cultivation like licorice, solar energy and eco-tourism development.
The Kubuqi Model, under which more than 6,000 square kilometers or one-third of the Kubuqi Desert has been afforested and 100,000 local farmers and herdsmen lifted out of poverty, has won worldwide acclaim.
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification awarded the prestigious Land for Life Award to Elion in 2015.
At the signing ceremony, Solheim spoke highly of Chinese PresidentXi Jinpingand his advocacy of ecological civilization, citing his slogan, "Green mountains and clean water is gold."
But he also criticized US PresidentDonald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement.
The UNEP and he personally will introduce the Kubuqi Model to future international events and help launch the model to the world, Solheim said.
Desertification is a global problem that has affected the livelihood of millions of people. Along theBelt and Road, more than one billion people in over 60 countries suffer from desertification and dry land.
Elion has introduced its desertification control technologies to Gansu, Qinghai,Xinjiangand Tibet in China. "We are also exporting our technology to the Middle East and Central Asia," Wang told the Global Times.
A day before, UNEP and Elion Foundation opened the Belt and Road Desert Green Economy Innovation Center in the Kubuqi Desert.
Wang said they will invest 100 billion yuan ($14.6 billion) within the next five years to combat desertification and land degradation with other countries along the Belt and Road.
Xi said in May that China plans to put assemble 2,500 young scientists in China to engage in short-term related research work, train 5,000 scientific and management personnel and open 50 joint laboratories.he model Elion has pioneered in the Kubuqi Desert is very "inspiring" and they "treat the desert not as an enemy or a problem but an opportunity," Solheim told reporters after a three-day visit to the desert.
Elion has achieved remarkable success in desertification control in the past three decades in Kubuqi Desert that involves ecological restoration, herbal plant cultivation like licorice, solar energy and eco-tourism development.
The Kubuqi Model, under which more than 6,000 square kilometers or one-third of the Kubuqi Desert has been afforested and 100,000 local farmers and herdsmen lifted out of poverty, has won worldwide acclaim.
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification awarded the prestigious Land for Life Award to Elion in 2015.
At the signing ceremony, Solheim spoke highly of Chinese PresidentXi Jinpingand his advocacy of ecological civilization, citing his slogan, "Green mountains and clean water is gold."
But he also criticized US PresidentDonald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement.
The UNEP and he personally will introduce the Kubuqi Model to future international events and help launch the model to the world, Solheim said.
Desertification is a global problem that has affected the livelihood of millions of people. Along theBelt and Road, more than one billion people in over 60 countries suffer from desertification and dry land.
Elion has introduced its desertification control technologies to Gansu, Qinghai,Xinjiangand Tibet in China. "We are also exporting our technology to the Middle East and Central Asia," Wang told the Global Times.
A day before, UNEP and Elion Foundation opened the Belt and Road Desert Green Economy Innovation Center in the Kubuqi Desert.
Wang said they will invest 100 billion yuan ($14.6 billion) within the next five years to combat desertification and land degradation with other countries along the Belt and Road.
Xi said in May that China plans to put assemble 2,500 young scientists in China to engage in short-term related research work, train 5,000 scientific and management personnel and open 50 joint laboratories.