This
is a summary report of the activity desertification and
SDS (Sand and Dust Storms) experts from the local countries
and communities throughout Northeast Asia, which was held
at Conference Room 308A, Coex, Seoul, Republic of Korea(ROK)
on May 6th 2022.
The
workshop benefited from the participation of resource
people from China, Mongolia, Russia, and Republic of Korea
both online and offline, who have been involved in many
kinds of projects on combating desertification and SDS
reduction in their countries.
In
the course of the workshop, they shared their country
experiences, best practices, the challenges encountered
and the lessons learned. Then, they agreed to further
strengthen regional cooperation within DLDD-NEAN (the
Northeast Asia Network for DLDD), an official reporting
entity, which is a sub-regional cooperation platform for
the implementation of the UNCCD in Northeast Asia, since
its launch at the UNCCD COP10 in Changwon.
It
is expected that experts' participation in the network
will contribute to reinforcing regional cooperation including
combating desertification, land degradation and drought
(DLDD), sand and dust storms (SDS), achieving land degradation
neutrality (LDN) in the region and boosting joint activities
within the network. This affiliation will also facilitate
further interregional cooperation and partnerships, strengthening
ties between regional annexes and the Convention and to
strengthen the network as a platform for promoting regional
cooperation, focusing especially on knowledge and information
sharing, technical cooperation, and a joint research projects.
Participants
agreed that the workshop had effectively demonstrated
to them the importance of the combating desertification
and forest's benefits that it could generate for their
countries. Furthermore, the workshop exercises were helpful
in clarifying for them the steps and actions that need
to be taken to operationalize efforts for combating desertification
and SDS reduction. Several expressed interest in planning
and participating in future joint research projects with
the support of DLDD-NEAN. Also, participants emphasized
the need to increase public awareness of the importance
of combating desertification and SDS reduction and to
engage public and private sector stakeholders in order
to address DLDD and SDS issues in the region more effectively.
