The “International Symposium on Correlation and Synergistic Development of Aral Sea Water and Ecology”, hosted by Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia (RCEECA) and co-organized by Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences Karakalpak Branch and Institute of Botany of Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences was held in Nukus, Uzbekistan, between June 3rd and 5th. Experts and representatives in relevant fields from research institutes and colleges of China, Uzbekistan and Nepal attended the meeting.

The meeting aims to share the experience and knowledge from the ecological security of the Aral Sea in the past decades, promote the sharing of the research findings in water resources management and ecosystem’s recovery, establish expert cooperative mechanism with countries in Central Asia, formulate implementation plans to deal with the Aral Sea’s ecological crisis and devote joint efforts to build the green Silk Road Economic Belt.

At the opening ceremony, Amibetov Nagmet, President of Karakalpak Branch sincerely welcomed the representatives from China and Uzbekistan. Chen Xi, Vice President of Xinjiang Branch, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography and Director of RCEECA, Ibragimov Bakhtyer, Vice President of Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, and Kazbekov Jusipbek, President of the Commission on Environment and Development of Republic of Karakalpakstan within Uzbekistan, respectively delivered welcoming speeches.

Chen Xi said that Aral Sea crisis is a major concern of Central Asia’s ecological environment and a problem needs to be faced and addressed in the construction of Silk Road Economic Belt. It is imperative that new ways should be sought for Aral Sea’s treatment under the framework of joint construction of Silk Road Economic Belt. It is hoped that in the next 3 years, both sides will be able to come up with a solution for Aral Sea’s ecosystem recovery and water resources management through the promotion of highly efficient water saving irrigation, conduction of halophyte planting demonstration and salt dust storm-sandstorm monitoring in Aral Sea, together with China’s advanced ecosystem recovery principle and technology. In this way, we will provide a scientific roadmap for sustainable development and Aral Sea rescue plan for Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and “Belt and Road” Initiative Foundation and contribute to the ecosystem treatment and improvement of Aral Sea.

During the meeting, 22 experts delivered keynote reports involving comprehensive management of water resources, Aral Sea’s flora and fauna diversity, land use and land cover changes, predication and simulation of utilizable water resources in Aral Sea, regional ecology and environment, salt dust storm and human health and safety. They showed their research thinking and achievements in the field of Aral Sea ecosystem and environment, conducted broad and deep academic exchanges and realized an in-depth discussion about relevant scientific research problems throughout the basic research and application fields.

At the meeting, Chen Xi, Ibragimov Bakhtyer, Amibetov Nagmet and Tojibaev Komil, Director of Institute of Botany of Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, unveiled the plaque for the Muynak Field Observation and Research Station of Aral Sea Ecosystem. Muynak Station, as the third research station built by RCEECA in Uzbekistan, will be incorporated in the monitoring system of “Central Asia ecosystem field station network” and will be built into an international advanced monitoring and research platform featuring real-time monitoring and integration of basic indoors experiment analysis and technological experiment and demonstration.

Before the meeting, the group of people led by Chen Xi held talk with Ibragimov Bakhtyer, visited UNDP’s representative office in Uzbekistan and Institute of Botany of Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences; after the meeting, they investigated the Muynak Field Observation and Research Station of Aral Sea Ecosystem, visited Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineering, Information Center and Institute of Water Problems of Ministry of Water Resources of Uzbekistan as well as Institute of Genetics of Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences. 

Chen Xi delivers a speech

Ibragimov Bakhtyer delivers a speech

Conference photo

Unveil plaque for the field station

Field station investigation