Mongolia to build 'green wall' to combat desertification

Ulan Bator, June 13 (IANS) Mongolia will build a "green wall" along its borders by planting at least 16 million trees by 2030 to combat desertification, the presidential office said in a statement on Monday.

To achieve the goal, professional agronomists have been appointed to all units of the General Authority for Border Protection, and trainings on planting and caring for trees have been provided to contract or conscript servicemen, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.

The effort is part of Mongolia's national tree-planting campaign initiated by President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, it said.

The campaign was officially launched last October with an aim to plant at least 1 billion trees by 2030 to combat climate change and desertification.

Almost 77 per cent of Mongolian territory is affected by desertification and land degradation, according to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.