ULAN BATOR, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene has urged nations to strengthen collaboration in combating desertification, highlighting its increasingly severe impact on global communities, according to the Mongolian government's press office.
The call was made during his speech at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), currently being held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
"Climate change and desertification are having tangible effects on every country and the daily lives of their citizens," Oyun-Erdene said.
Highlighting Mongolia's heightened vulnerability, he noted, "According to a UN study, the frequency of natural and climatic disasters in Mongolia has doubled over the past 20 years. For instance, last winter brought the heaviest snowfall in 50 years in the country, causing a severe dzud that resulted in the loss of millions of livestock."
Dzud is a Mongolian term to describe a severely cold winter when a large number of livestock die because the ground is frozen or covered in snow.
The prime minister stressed the urgent need for a unified global strategy, saying, "To protect our land, which represents the future of humanity, we must support one another. Climate change, desertification, and the pandemic have reminded us of the importance of unity, being one for all, all for one."
Desertification poses a significant challenge to Mongolia, affecting approximately 77 percent of the country's total territory, according to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
Mongolia is set to host COP17 of the UNCCD in its capital, Ulan Bator, in 2026. ■
