The 21st session of the United Nations Committee on the Convention for Combating Desertification (UNCCD) commenced on November 13 in the historic city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The event, known as CRIC-21, is being hosted at the Silk Road Samarkand Congress and has drawn approximately 500 delegates, representing civil society and scientific communities from 196 countries. This marks a historic occasion as it is the first time a crucial meeting of the UNCCD is being held in Central Asia.
The primary focus of CRIC-21 is to evaluate progress in achieving global degradation goals and to discuss recommendations for the prevention of land degradation outlined in the 2018-2030 Strategy. Delegates will deliberate on strategies to address the impact of climate change and land degradation on a global scale.
The opening ceremony included a congratulatory speech from the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, emphasizing the region's vulnerability to climate change and its commitment to sustainable development goals.
President Mirziyoyev expressed concern about the environmental challenges faced by Uzbekistan and the wider Central Asian region, citing the ongoing consequences of the Aral Sea crisis and the direct impact on the well-being and health of the population. He highlighted the significance of the Samarkand Declaration, particularly in addressing sand and dust storms, and called for support from the international community.
"The initiative of the Samarkand Declaration in terms of sand and dust storms in the current session is the support of the International Expert Community. I am confident that this multilateral document is a significant contribution to the early warning and effective fight against such serious environmental problems," stated President Mirziyoyev.
The first day of CRIC-21 featured key addresses from Ibrahim Thiaw, the First Chairman of the CRIC-21 and UNCCD Executive Secretary, Tanzila Norboeva, Minister of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Aziz Abduhakimov, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change.
Ibrahim Thiaw addressed the urgency of addressing climate and nature crises, highlighting the significant loss of healthy and fertile lands globally.
"The drought, forest fires, and hot waves we are watching around the world are signs of climate and nature crises associated with each other. About 4 mn square km of healthy and fertile lands since 2015 - about the area of approximately the volume of Central Asia. By 2030 we need to stop the next degree of land for global landing goals and reset the next degree of land for global use, " Ibrahim Thiaw noted.
The UNCCD's latest information indicated an annual loss of about 100 mn hectares of such lands worldwide. Thiaw stressed the need to halt further land degradation and accelerate the implementation of existing commitments to meet global land degradation goals.
Minister Aziz Abduhakimov emphasized Uzbekistan's commitment to environmental and climate change issues, citing the country's long-standing role in addressing desertification. He highlighted the importance of reevaluating relationships with the land, particularly in the face of challenges like drought, sand and dust storms, and loss of biological diversity.
It is noteworthy that in 1995, Uzbekistan became the first among the CIS countries to ratify the United Nations Convention against Desertification.
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