AKIPRESS.COM - The Minister for Environment, Green Development and Tourism of Mongolia Namdag Battsereg met on December 18 with governors of 21 Mongolian provinces to sign a joint protocol on projects implemented in 2015 and planned for 2016.

According to the protocol, underground water reserves exploration works were held in Khovsgol district of Dornogovi province and Zavkhanmandal district of Zavkhan province; 160 ha of land located in 7 various provinces had been restored; the 4th forum on Special Protected Areas was successfully conducted to start collection of database and information network connecting those areas; the plans for the “A Year of Supporting Environmental Sector” for 2016 were worked out.

In addition, afforestation has been conducted on 27,754 ha of land across the country.

Apart from the protocol, the participants discussed current environmental situations in their provinces. Due to the pollution in Khovsgol, Ovorkhangai, Omnogoiv, Darkhan-Uul, Orkhon and Bayankhongor provinces, their governors were allowed to join the National Committee on Reducing Air Pollution starting November 2015 and starting next year will cooperate with the committee and the Ministry of Environment on finding solutions to improve this situation.