More than 100 entrepreneurs, officials and scholars convened
Sunday in north China's Inner Mongolia to discuss prevention of
desertification and treatment of desert.
The first Kubuqi International Desert Forum, held in a scenic
spot in the Kubuqi Desert, one of the eight largest deserts in
China, was aimed at attracting more enterprises to participate in
desert prevention and treatment, according to organizers.
Liu Yandong, vice chairwoman of the National Committee of the
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said at the
forum "prevention of desertification is a severe subject that human
beings face and needs concerted cooperation of all countries and
participation of all social walks of life".
Liu said China had made it a strategic move for sustainable
economic and social development to prevent and treat
desertification and improve ecological environment.
China has 2.63 million square kilometers of desertified land,
accounting for 27 percent of the country's total land area. The
country's forestry authorities said its land vulnerable to
desertification is dwindling by about 1200 square kilometers per
year thanks to years of afforestation efforts.
The forum, which will be held in Kubuqi Desert each year, also
aims to promote desert solar energy, wind power and other clean
energies.
(Xinhua News Agency August 27, 2007)
