China-backed green technologies and ecological projects are helping Mongolia balance economic growth and land restoration as desertification affects more than 70 percent of its territory, with the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) being held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital city, from Aug 17 to Friday.
Mongolia's economy relies heavily on mining and livestock farming, creating an urgent need to protect fragile grasslands while developing key industries. Chinese enterprises are providing effective green solutions to support Mongolia's national One Billion Trees initiative.
China-Mongolia ecological cooperation has been expanded. The China-Mongolia Desertification Prevention and Control Cooperation Center was inaugurated in Ulaanbaatar in September 2023 to support Mongolia's green drive.
At the Ulan Mine operated by China Railway Resources Group's Xinxin Company, advanced green systems have been put into full use. A closed-loop tailings water recycling system enables nearly all production water to be reused, greatly saving water resources and reducing environmental risks. The mine also boasts Mongolia's first back-filling mining system, which refills underground cavities to prevent surface subsidence and protect vegetation.
