XIEG, CAREC Sign MOU to Promote Transboundary Landscape Restoration and Ecological Cooperation in Central Asia

From April 22 to 24, at the invitation of the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC), a delegation led by DUAN Weili, Deputy Director of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences (XIEG), visited Astana, Kazakhstan, to attend the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 (RES-2026) and the Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC-2026). During the events, the delegation participated in athematic sessionon Transboundary Landscape Restoration in Central Asia hosted by CAREC. As an important part of the RES-2026 and the CACCC-2026, the thematic session gathered representatives from five Central Asian countries, as well as partners from international organizations such as the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification(UNCCD).

At the thematic session, DUAN Weili, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Batyr Mammedov, Director of CAREC. LIU Jian, Specially-appointed Professor of XIEG, took part in panel discussions and shared insights on how international partners can support the formulation of regional land restoration policies. Based on the newly signed MOU, LIU Jian gave an overview of the XIEG’s scientific research and technological practices in Xinjiang and Central Asia. He noted that XIEG’s existing monitoring technologies, as well as its field observation stations and research centers established both at home and abroad, can deliver solid scientific and technological support for ecological restoration across Central Asia.

Apart from the thematic session, the XIEG delegationwas invited to the bilateral meeting between HUANG Runqiu, Minister of Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China, and Aziz Abdukhakimov, Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan. They also joined several panel sessions on transboundary water resource management and protective forest belts.

The XIEG delegation held separate talks with the Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Europe Office and The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Uzbekistan, exploring potential areas and cooperation models under the Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia (RCEECA).

This visit to Astana marks an important practice for XIEG to leverage its scientific and technological strengths and deepenregional ecological governance and cross-border cooperation across Central Asia.Going forward, relying on platforms such as the RCEECA, XIEG will work closely with international partners on project implementation and contribute expertise to the development of the Green Silk Road and regional sustainable development.

The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) is an independent, non-political and non-profit international organization with a regional mandate to assist the Central Asian governments, regional and international stakeholders in addressing environmental and sustainability challenges across the Central Asian region and Afghanistan.

XIEG and CAREC sign MOU.

Contact

LONG Huaping

Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography

E-mail: longhp@ms.xjb.ac.cn

Web: http://english.egi.cas.cn