Uzbekistan, China and Mongolia have discussed green technologies and scientific solutions to restore degraded land and improve sustainable pasture management.

The discussions took place during a side event at the 17th session of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), The Caspian Post reports, citing Uzbekistan’s National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change.

The event, titled “Green Technologies for Sustainable Pasture Restoration and Combating Desertification,” brought together experts and representatives from the three countries, along with researchers from the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations in Regions of the Belt and Road (ANSO), the Mongolian Academy of Sciences and China’s Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography.

Participants focused on practical and innovative approaches to restoring degraded ecosystems and improving the long-term productivity of dryland areas.

Erkin Mukhtidinov, director of Uzbekistan’s Agency for Increasing Forests and Green Zones and Combating Desertification under the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change, said the scale of land degradation requires a systematic response.

About 30 million hectares of Uzbekistan’s territory consist of natural desert and arid landscapes, while more than 11 million hectares are classified as degraded. Around 70% of the country’s territory faces a risk of desertification.

Mukhtidinov said restoration efforts should rely on scientifically sound and technologically tested solutions that can be measured and scaled up rather than fragmented measures.

International scientific cooperation was a key focus of the event. Uzbekistan is working with Chinese research institutions, including the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, on ecosystem restoration, combating desertification, developing halophyte gardens, introducing drought- and salt-resistant plants, environmental monitoring and improving water management.

The Uzbekistan-China Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia was opened in Tashkent in November 2025 to support further scientific research and practical cooperation.

Uzbekistan proposed shifting from individual research projects toward joint regional technology programs. The proposals include establishing a Central Asian-North Asian Laboratory for Dryland Technologies and Projects, developing a regional standard for assessing land-restoration quality, creating a monitoring, reporting and verification system, and launching a joint program on sustainable pasture management and community development.

The proposed initiatives could involve testing technologies for sand stabilization, pasture restoration, drought- and salt-resistant vegetation, precision water use, and digital and satellite-based environmental monitoring.

Uzbekistan also offered pilot sites in Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, Navoi and other arid regions for testing and demonstrating land-restoration technologies.

Participants said cooperation among Uzbekistan, Mongolia, China and other countries could help shift dryland research from isolated projects toward joint technology development and large-scale implementation, while supporting more sustainable and productive dryland economies.