PRESIDENT MEETS UNEP DIRECTOR

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /MONTSAME/ On Monday, the President Ts.Elbegdorj met with Achim Steiner, the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme in Rio De Janeiro city, Brazil, was reported on Tuesday by the President's official website. Mr. Steiner congratulated the President of Mongolia on becoming a laureate of the UN's Award of Champions of the Earth 2012, and stated that this is the most prestigious prize of the UN. He conveyed a congratulatory message of the UN Secretary-General to the President. The State Head stressed that the Award is a great honor for Mongolian people, adding that although nations are facing many challenges and problems, they can ensure the environmentally-friendly sustainable development when combining the efforts. He appreciated fruitful projects and programs being implemented by the UN Environment Programme. “In my country, desertification has been intensifying, and overgrazing of pasture land, and our nomadic way of life has been in danger, along with the fast development of the mining sector, water and soil pollution have been increasing. Legal basis is important in environmental protection. The Parliament has approved a package of bills in this regard. Mongolia is a heaven of renewable energy. A vast opportunity for producing energy using solar and wind energy is present in the Gobi region. Investors from many countries have been expressing their willingness in to cooperate with us. Just recently, 50 megawatt capacity wind farm was constructed and put into operation. Our initiative to build the Asia renewable energy super grid has been attracting the attention of the international community" the President said. He proposed a number of ideas on expanding Mongolia's cooperation with the UNEP, for instance, the Mazaalai protection project, which is geared at protecting the Gobi bear whose number has been declining steadily. "We have experience of success from the past. 20 years ago, we only had less than 30 Takhi which we re-naturalized and now we have 400. We would like you to work with us to protect the Mazaalai." he stressed. The President also proposed a special project on the proper utilization of renewable energy resource. Mr. Steiner supported his proposals and committed to translate them into reality. Mr. Steiner agreed on sending a team of experts to Mongolia this summer. He also acknowledged the effective implementation of President Ts.Elbegdorj's National Tree Planting Day with gratitude and exchanged views on expanding the project throughout the world. The "Green Future" project initiated by UBS television came up with the idea of identifying " Eco-Envoys" which has been successfully taking effect under the auspices of President Ts.Elbegdorj. They talked about exchanging the Mongolian "Eco-Envoys" with those around the world. Mr. Steiner was very interested in the Mongolians' eco-friendly way of life and inquired about it during the meeting. "I am happy that the President of Mongolia, who was born to a herder's family, won the " Champions of the Earth" award in the area of policy leadership" said Mr. Steiner at the end of the meeting. B.Khuder