Kazakh parliament ratifies agreement with Uzbekistan on environmental protectionThe Senate, the upper chamber of Kazakhstan’s parliament, adopted on Thursday the Law on Ratification of the Agreement with the Government of Uzbekistan on Cooperation in Environmental Protection.The document is now sent to the Kazakh president for signature.The Agreement is aimed to update the previous Agreement of 1997 and to expand environmental cooperation.The Agreement specifies such new directions in cooperation as joint educational programs, scientific research, training of personnel and popularization of joint efforts in environmental protection.Other areas of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will be reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, protection of the ecosystems from degradation and adaptation to climate changes, which will allow the two countries to coordinate their actions to mitigate the aftermaths of the ecological crisis of the Aral Sea and to contain sand and salt storms by planting saxaul.According to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, the area of the dried bottom of the Aral Sea is about 6 million hectares, including 2.8 million hectares in Kazakhstan.The document also provides for joint measures to protect such migratory animals as saigas, gazelles, argali and others. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX