UNCCD Executive Secretary holds talks with Ecologic Movement officials

Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Central Council of the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan Boriy Alihanov and others emphasized that a large-scale work to prevent environmental problems, to ensure environmental and health protection is implemented in Uzbekistan, UzA reported.

The 1994 United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought is signed by 194 countries. Uzbekistan signed it on 7 December 1994 and on 31 August 1995 the document was ratified by the Parliament of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The head Department of Hydrometeorology under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan is its national executive agency. In 1999 the National Action Programme was drafted and since has been consistently implemented in order to effectively implement the obligations of this document in Uzbekistan.

In a short period of time saksaul and cherkez trees have been planted in an area of over 200,000 hectares to prevent sand storms, formed in the bottom of the drying Aral sea. Reclamation state of more than 240,000 hectares of land was improved only in the past year.

As discussed during the meeting, desertification, land degradation and drought lead to serious economic, social and environmental issues, and have become a threat to food security in many countries around the world. According to report, submitted by the members of the Convention in 2012, degradation of land in arid regions of the world have had a negative impact in the territory of the 168 member countries of the Convention.

-I have been convinced that Uzbekistan pays great attention to environmental and health protection, improvement of the ecological situation in the country and in the whole region, said Luc Gnacadja. - Uzbekistan has established a legal framework in line with international standards, aimed at the rational use of natural resources and protection of public health, has implemented state programs, national plans of action, which are reflected in practice. It has consistently fulfilled all its obligations in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development.

The sides exchanged views on the activities of the Secretariat of the Convention and the participation of NGOs operating in the environmental field in Uzbekistan in the implementation of the National Programme of Action.