Alarming environmental changes and disasters,
unprecedented and unheard of before, occur at a greater rate. Climate change
with ensuing water shortage, desertification, soil and vegetation degradation
lead not only to depletion of natural resources, but also threaten the social
and economic development of the entire world.
These are the words of Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, President of Mongolia as
his country hosts the 2013 World Environment Day.
“Our blue planet is only one for all of us. Yet, our
home Earth is visibly losing its vitality and pristineness due to the reckless
policies and ruinous acts of its children, the human beings. Its resources are
being exhausted and the safe livelihood of the humankind is gravely endangered”,
said the President.
Mongolia
is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and
aiming for a transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy and a green
civilization.
Since millennia ago, Mongolians have lived in a
genuine harmony with nature, just like a mother and child, especially their culture
of treating water, the source of life on earth, is truly unique.
“The simplest but a very telling example is that the
herders never use the same ladle for water and milk” said the President.
But like many low-income countries, climate change
has led to drying up of many rivers and lakes in Mongolia, thus necessitating the
country to draw concerted attention on water resources.
As one of the most-threatened by climate change
countries, Mongolia has already suspended new mining concessions pending
environmental safeguards and is working with partners in the UN and beyond to
bring Green Development across the economy.
The country has also established Natural Resources National
Parks to curb desertification.
“Our national parks and specially protected areas
can be the backbone of ecotourism that would generate conservation income and
green jobs”, said President Elbegdori. “Our vision includes targets for the
uptake of solar and wind power that can fuel our economic growth, while
exporting surpluses via an Asian super-grid”.
President Elbegdori, who was honored with the 2012
Champion of the Earth Award by the United Nations, has observed that environmental
protection is not a single-day campaign but a life-long cause of day-to-day
efforts of every citizen of the world.
He has proposed the establishment of a special UN
body on Water, an initiative he believes will be supported by the global
community.
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