The Central Asian University of Environmental and Climate Change Studies (Green University) hosted the opening ceremony of a comprehensive scientific expedition on ecology and the environment of the drained bottom of the Aral Sea, organized by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change, the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The event was attended by Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change Aziz Abdukhakimov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Uzbekistan Yu Jun, director of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences Yuanming Zhang, vice-president of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan Professor Shahlo Turdikulova, scientists from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Japan, and others.

Aziz Abdukhakimov, who spoke at the opening ceremony, noted the important role of the expedition in understanding and mitigating the impact of the negative consequences of the ecological crisis on the environment in the Aral Sea region.

“The expedition launched today is another big step towards a deeper study of the nature of the Aral Sea region based on a scientific approach and research. I am confident that joint efforts and scientific cooperation will yield significant results and create the basis for implementing new environmental projects and initiatives in the region in the future”, said the minister.

It is worth noting that the expedition is carried out by the consistent policy of the government of the country under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to restore the ecosystem of the region and mitigate the consequences of the ecological crisis caused by the drying up of the Aral Sea. As part of the expedition, it is planned to conduct research aimed at studying changes in the ecosystem and soil, as well as the state of biodiversity in the region.

“We are pursuing several scientific goals in the expedition. This is the study of the biodiversity of microorganisms, soil composition, and mineral deposits. Because currently we see that the accumulated salt from the bottom of the Aral Sea is spreading not only to the nearest regions, but also goes to China, the West, and other remote regions. We are confident that the data that will be collected during the expedition will be useful in decision–making by the governments of our countries in matters of environmental stabilization”, Shahlo Turdikulova said at the ceremony.

During the event, flags were presented to representatives of the organizing institutions, including the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography and the Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, symbolizing the expedition’s official start.

The event ended with a session that allowed the team members to have informal discussions and lay the foundation for their joint efforts in the upcoming expedition.