At the invitation of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Chen Xi, Vice President of Xinjiang Branch, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Director of Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia (RCEECA) and Professor of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, led a group of 13 people to attend the 2nd Global Session of the United Nations Science Policy Business Forum on the Environment in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, from March 8^th to 10^th.

This forum, held before the 4th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, was aimed to encourage green investment and promote the development of green and technological innovative enterprises through advanced technology, effective policy and the pushing of innovative financing, solve environmental problems and offer suggestion and support for the Environment Assembly and the sustainable development goals of the United Nations. Ministers of multiple countries, renowned scientists and business leaders attended the forum, discussed about 5 major fields including formulating green policies, establishing global digital platform and seeking innovative solution to deal with climate challenges and consulted with each other about the solutions for environmental problems. This forum has 40 sessions under the above 5 topics.

The session of “The Third Pole: Take Common Action to Deal with the Influence of Climate Changes to Fragile Ecosystem”, organized by Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, The Third Pole Environment Research Plan and RCEECA, was held in the afternoon of March 10th. Consensus was expected through exchanges and discussions and pan third pole area research and monitoring network was established to integrate basic science, application research, technological innovation and policies and suggestions. Over 100 people including Academician Yao Tandong attended the session. Vice President Chen Xi delivered the keynote report featuring “Research on the Ecosystem of Central Asia under Climate Change and Human Activities”, published the “Evaluation Report on the Ecosystem of Central Asia Region” and answered the questions from the representatives at the conference.

President Dzhumataev of Kyrgyzstan Academy of Sciences, Vice President Saparov of Kazakhstan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Vice President Ibragimov of Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, Director Tojibayev of the Institute of Botany of Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, Director Jontoyev of the Institute of Water Problems and Water Power of Kyrgyzstan Academy of Sciences, Deputy Director Jilili Abuduwaili of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Professor Lei Jiaqiang and staff from relevant projects teams and RCEECA all attended the forum and sessions, and witnessed the release of the “Evaluation Report of the Ecosystem of Central Asia Region”. During the meeting, they went to visit Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, located at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology as well as its facilities including the lab and botanical garden. 

“Evaluation Report of the Ecosystem of Central Asia Region” was completed based on “Ecological Response of Climate Change and Land Use Change in Arid and Semi-arid Areas of Central Asia Over the Past 500 Years”, an international cooperation and exchange program between National Natural Science Foundation of China and NSFC-UNEP. Based on 4 years’ research of Central Asia’s ecological system, the report analyzes the changes and tendencies of temperature and rainfall in Central Asia over the past 500 years and evaluated primary productivity of vegetation and carbon cycle changes as well as the land use and cover changes in Central Asia over the past 50 years. The formation and release of the report will lay solid foundation for the scientific and technological cooperation between China and Central Asia countries in terms of ecological environment protection, resources sustainability, agricultural development, disaster monitoring and early warning, strengthen the joint capabilities of the UN and developing countries in dealing with climate changes and play an important role in promoting the construction of green Silk Road. In December, 2018, partners of the program signed the memorandum for “Joint Release of Evaluation Report of the Ecosystem of Central Asia Region” at the “International Symposium on the Evaluation of the Ecosystem of Central Asia Region” held in Haikou.

Chen Xi delivers keynote report

Group photo of attendees

Session scene

Sino-Africa Joint Research Center