“International Program for Sustainable Development of Aral Sea Region” Recognized in First Round of UN IDSSD Selection

International Program for Sustainable Development of Aral Sea Region

14 05, 2025

On May 5, the International Program for Sustainable Development of Aral Sea Region (“Aral Sea International Program”), initiated and led by the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences (XIEG), was selected in the first round of officially recognized initiatives under the United Nations’ International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD). The program was also featured at an exhibition showcasing selected initiatives during the Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (STI Forum), held at UN Headquarters in New York on May 7. The implementation of the Aral Sea International Program has been supported by science and technology through the collaborative project “Integration, Testing, and Demonstration of Photovoltaic Technology in the Ecological Restoration of the Aral Sea”, jointly carried out by ANSO, ANSO IPO, and SPIC Xinjiang Energy and Chemical Co., Ltd.

Display Board of the International Program for Sustainable Development of the Aral Sea Region

In 2021, with the support of ANSO, the XIEG established the International Program Office of ANSO Green Aral Sea Science Initiative (“ANSO IPO”). The ANSO IPO has become an important platform for cooperation between China and Central Asian countries on Aral Sea issues and is committed to promoting the implementation of the Green Aral Sea International Science Initiative (Green Aral Sea Initiative).

In August 2023, the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033) was launched by a UN General Assembly resolution adopted to harness global scientific cooperation supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In October 2023, UNESCO issued a global call for program proposals. After a rigorous international selection process, 25 initiatives were officially recognized in the first round of IDSSD selections, highlighting the global scientific community’s efforts to accelerate progress toward the SDGs.

The First Round of IDSSD Selections List

The Aral Sea International Program selected for the UN IDSSD supports the Green Aral Sea Initiative by fostering regional collaboration in green technologies to advance sustainable development across the region. It focuses on four core areas: researching ecosystem evolution and sustainable development in the Aral Sea region; piloting green and innovative technologies for ecological restoration; establishing a joint laboratory for green technology research and demonstration; and strengthening scientific and technological innovation capacity in Central Asia’s arid regions.