Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will be held from 10 to 25 September 2023 in Riyadh (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia).

The Committee reviewed new nominations for the World Heritage List based on an assessment by the International Council for the Preservation of Memory and Sites.

On 20 September 2023, it was decided to include the “Cold Winter Desert of Turan” on the list of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. The nomination was prepared by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Uzbekistan, part of the nominations is represented by the Southern Ustyurt National Natural Park and the Saigachy Landscape Reserve.

The cold-temperate zone is a unique and extensive biome characterized by extreme climatic conditions, diverse geomorphological forms and endemic biomes. Structural, evolutionary and other ecological processes of flora, fauna and ecosystems adapted to extreme heat and cold, cold and winter. Desert ecosystems not only reflect climatic conditions, but also act as natural carbon sinks and accumulators.

Due to the vast geographical continuity of the Turan Desert, a transregional systems approach is needed to represent the main types and productive ecological processes of the ecosystem, including specific flora and fauna.

The joint nomination of the nominating states—Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan—is a good example of interregional cooperation by UNESCO, promoting the development of cultural ties within Central Asia.

Thanks to the scientific and technical support of the Michael Sukkov Foundation (MSF) through the Central Desert Initiative (CADI), funded by the German government and the International Climate Initiative (IKI), the nomination is also an example of international responsibility and cooperation in the fight against climate change. within the framework of the Convention on Universal Succession.