Mongolian Prime Minister Advocates for Global Efforts to Address Desertification
Click to start listening
Ulan Bator, Dec 3 (NationPress) The Prime Minister of Mongolia, Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene, has called upon nations to bolster their efforts in tackling desertification, which is increasingly impacting global communities, as outlined by the Mongolian government's press office.
This appeal was made during his address at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), currently taking place in Riyadh, according to a report from Xinhua.
Oyun-Erdene stated, "Climate change and desertification are affecting every nation and the everyday lives of their citizens."
Emphasizing Mongolia's growing susceptibility, he remarked: "A UN study indicates that the occurrence of natural and climatic disasters in Mongolia has doubled over the last two decades. For example, last winter brought the most significant snowfall in 50 years, leading to a harsh 'dzud' that resulted in millions of livestock fatalities."
The term dzud refers to an extremely cold winter in Mongolia that causes mass livestock deaths due to frozen ground or heavy snow cover.
The Prime Minister underscored the critical necessity for a cohesive global approach, stating: "To safeguard our land, which symbolizes the future of humanity, we must assist one another. Climate change, desertification, and the pandemic have highlighted the significance of unity: being one for all, and all for one."
Desertification presents a major obstacle for Mongolia, affecting around 77 percent of the nation’s total land area, as reported by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
Mongolia is scheduled to host COP17 of the UNCCD in its capital, Ulan Bator, in 2026.
