Forests in the desert: Why Mongolia is banking on a billion new trees to halt desertification

Desertification – the place land degrades, turns into arid and loses its fertility – is now affecting greater than 76 per cent of Mongolia’s complete land territory. Local weather change and human exercise are each guilty and the scenario has critical implications for the lives of nomadic herders in addition to the nation’s meals and water safety.

Earlier this 12 months, the nation’s president Ukhnaa Khurelsukh formally launched the One Billion Tree motion, an bold plan to reverse the relentless unfold of the Gobi. 

Mongolia goals to realize the goal by 2030, as a part of its commitments to the United Nations Sustainable Improvement Targets. Numerous incentives will encourage extra individuals, in addition to mining firms and companies, to be concerned.

The province of Ömnögovi has pledged to plant 70 million bushes and supply monetary packages to people for sustaining new bushes within the space. Specialists there have designated 900,000 ha of land for forestation.

In keeping with local weather scientists, the concept has robust deserves. In a particular abstract by the Intergovernmental Panel on Local weather Change (IPCC) launched in 2019, it was reported that “native and different local weather resilient tree species with low water wants, can cut back sand storms, avert wind erosion, and contribute to carbon sinks, whereas bettering micro-climates, soil vitamins and water retention”.