From June 19 to 22, 2018, High-level Conference on International Decade for Action, “Water and Sustainable Development”, co-sponsored by the United Nations and the Government of Tajikistan, cofounded by Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was held in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan. Eight heads of state, including President Rahmond of Tajikistan, and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Liu Zhenmin and representatives of government officials, international organizations and scientists from 31 countries participated in the conference.

Director of the Bureau of Science and Technology for Development Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mr. Yan Qing, addressed this conference at the opening ceremony of the conference and presented the main research contents of the “Pan-Third Pole Environment Study for a Green Silk Road”. All researchers world-wide were invited to join this project.

The director of the Research Center for Ecology and Environmental in Central Asia (RCEECA) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dr. Chen Xi, made a report on how to establish an international partnership to develop study jointly of climate change and human activities impact on Water Tower of Central Asia and its eco-environmental effects. The success experiences of the water resources management in the Tarim River Basin in China were also introduced to the world.

The academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Prof. Xia Jun, made a speech on how to carry out comprehensive water resources management in Central Asia and the role of scientists in the future. Eighteen Chinese scientists, such as Prof. Li Lanhai from Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography and Prof. Yu Jingjie from Institute of Geography and Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences respectively made academic presentations on the topics of water science and technology innovation, water utilization technology, global and regional cooperation, unified management of water resources, transboundary rivers, water disaster prevention, etc.

During the conference, the Research Center for Ecology and Environmental in Central Asia (RCEECA) also held a special results exhibition, which gave a comprehensive introduction to the achievements in the past five years and the international cooperation research plan to be carried out in the next five years. The research on the Water Tower of Central Asia and its ecology and environment received strong responses from the participants.

Prof. Chen Xi, was invited by UNDP Representative Officer of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan to discuss the cooperation plan for the next five years in the Representative Office UNDP Tajikistan.

Prof. Chen Xi also discuss with the president of the Tajik Academy of Sciences, the Minister of Water Resources and Energy of Tajikistan, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Tajikistan, and the Deputy Director of the Environmental Committee of Tajikistan, about research plan on the Pan-Third Pole Environment Study for a Green Silk Road. Moreover, the international research program on water between Chinese Academy of Sciences and Tajikistan was proposed to be announced together in early July.

Before and after the meeting, 18 representatives of Chinese Academy of Sciences also visited the Syr Darya, the Amu Darya, the Vahsh River and the Zeravshan River, which laid a good foundation for further research on the Pan-Third Pole Environment and Water Tower of Central Asian and its eco-environmental effects.

Yan Qing addressed at the opening ceremony