Hyundai Green zone
Description
The desertification of Asia is worsening every year. In Asia, especially China and Mongolia, land becomes a desert each year. The vicious cycle of grasslands and forests disappearing due to excessive grazing, cultivation, picking of medical plants, climate change, and so on is leading to the drying of water, which in turn causes desertification. The Hyundai Green Zone project is conducted in the region of Qagan Nor, Neimenggu, which is a representative region of China desertification. Qagan Nor, which was once a giant lake that was divided into the east and the west, has almost dried up completely, becoming a dry desert. <br />
<br />
In order to make this into green grassland, Hyundai Motor Company has planted Suaeda, an annual halophyte that grows well even in alkaline soils. It grows in highly alkaline soil with PH 9-11 at the source of alkali yellow dust. Suaeda plant cannot only block sand and yellow dust after certain growth but also change soil quality, allowing other plant species to take root. Like the acacia or pine tree, the Suaeda grass takes root in a barren land, turning the soil condition more favourable for plant growth. Afterward, when other species have propagated and the alkali concentration has fallen, then it undergoes natural extinction. <br />
<br />
Therefore, the team decided to proceed with the restoration efforts using the Suaeda grass and have conducted research on its effects with the researchers at Inner Mongolia Normal University. Planting grass instead of trees will protect the soils, preserve the grasslands from desertification, and restore the grassland ecosystem. Also, Hyundai Motor Company has conducted a sand-protecting barrier task by making walls with tree branches so that the grass seeds will not fly off in the wind. After successfully planting grass, Hyundai Motor Company is now in the phase of planting perennial plants. This area is a great example of grassland ecosystem restoration and the success of this project is a new milestone in preventing desertification in China.
In order to stop desertification and protect the grasslands, a good understanding of the local ecosystem and the participation of local people are required. Although a pastoralists understanding of the grasslands is based on their tradition, it can be difficult for pastoralists to fully grasp what is happening in the area, how to address the root cause of desertification, and how to restore and preserve the grasslands. Hyundai Motor Company is actively encouraging local farmers to participate in the project for sustainability. In the first year of sowing, the local people did not participate much, but the ratio is increasing each year. The effective area is over 4.46281 km2. After sowing, local cultivators were educated to spread sowing techniques and were helped to sow in small lakes nearby. In addition, seedlings were harvested and planting experiments were conducted to make better planting experiments. The experiences gained by pastoralists for many years of sowing, observing, and harvesting seeds have been reflected in the improvement of sowing technology and improvement of machinery. Even if the official project support is terminated, it will become the foundation of knowledge and skills that can be continued by the locals. In addition, some of the funds needed for the sustainability of the local people can be covered by the sales of Suaeda grown in the large area and the use of seed medicine. For global cooperation, an important element of achieving the SDGs goal, Hyundai Motor Company has also created a venue for cooperation with local farmers by providing projects such as conversation with local farmers, livelihood experience.
Hyundai Motor CompanyGreen Move is intended to work by fostering eco-leaders, promoting environmental education and supporting conservation campaigns both inside and outside of Korea. In particular, the Hyundai Green Zone project considered a big part contributing to the global society. Hyundai works in close partnership with Ecopeace Asia, which specializes in eco-peace making and nature conservation movement for a sustainable Asia. Ecopeace Asia is participated in international governance groups and officially registered with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). <br />
<br />
Hyundai Green Zone cultivated Suaeda grass in the Qagan Nor region by harvesting an indigenous plant that is found locally prospers in barren desert soils. As a result, Inner Mongolia of the highly alkaline desert was transformed into a vast green grassland. This project was especially meaningful because a high multitude of people participated as volunteers. (Total 3,318 people, average 370 people per year) Students of the Happy Move Global Youth volunteer team visited every year and to participate until the projectcompletion, and the employees of the Chinese corporate body, as well as Chinese citizens and college volunteers, chose to volunteer as well. As the hearts and goodwill of the volunteers joined together by silently planting grass seed in the sweltering heat and rough sandstorms, the desert gradually began to turn into a flourishing grassland. <br />
<br />
Hyundai Motor Company has been carrying out the first project from 2008 to 2012, provided a total of 950,000 USD and planted a grass which grows well on the alkaline soil in Qagan Nor-Lake. With the efforts of the Hyundai Motor Company, 50 km2 of dry land, equivalent to 60% of the western lake area transformed into green grasslands. Hyundai Motor Company constantly use drones to conduct on-site inspections to measure changes and impacts.<br />
<br />
Hyundai Motor Company was selected as No.1 CSR company in China in 2017 by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Hyundai Green Zone has been recognized as the "BEST 50 Public Benefit Brand (3rd place)" by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences for the third consecutive year and has been recognized for its value. This is a result of highly evaluating fundamental natural ecological restoration efforts by the desertification prevention project which is different from other companies
SDGS & Targets
Goal 15
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
15.1
By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements
15.1.1
15.1.2
15.2
By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
15.2.1
15.3
By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
15.3.1
15.4
By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development
15.4.1
15.4.2
15.5
Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
15.5.1
15.6
Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed
15.6.1
15.7
Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products
15.7.1
15.8
By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species
15.8.1
15.9
By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
15.9.1
(a) Number of countries that have established national targets in accordance with or similar to Aichi Biodiversity Target 2 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 in their national biodiversity strategy and action plans and the progress reported towards these targets; and (b) integration of biodiversity into national accounting and reporting systems, defined as implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting
15.a
Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems
15.a.1
(a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments
15.b
Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation
15.b.1
(a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments
15.c
Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities
15.c.1
Goal 17
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
17.1
Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection
17.1.1
17.1.2
17.2
Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries; ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries
17.2.1
17.3
Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources
17.3.1
Additional financial resources mobilized for developing countries from multiple sources
17.3.2
17.4
Assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring, as appropriate, and address the external debt of highly indebted poor countries to reduce debt distress
17.4.1
17.5
Adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for least developed countries
17.5.1
Number of countries that adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for developing countries, including the least developed countries
17.6
Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism
17.6.1
Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed
17.7
Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed
17.7.1
Total amount of funding for developing countries to promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies
17.8
Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology
17.8.1
17.9
Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation
17.9.1
Dollar value of financial and technical assistance (including through North-South, South‑South and triangular cooperation) committed to developing countries
17.10
Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the conclusion of negotiations under its Doha Development Agenda
17.10.1
17.11
Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020
17.11.1
Developing countries’ and least developed countries’ share of global exports
17.12
Realize timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries, consistent with World Trade Organization decisions, including by ensuring that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from least developed countries are transparent and simple, and contribute to facilitating market access
17.12.1
Weighted average tariffs faced by developing countries, least developed countries and small island developing States
17.13
Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence
17.13.1
17.14
Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development
17.14.1
17.15
Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development
17.15.1
17.16
Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
17.16.1
Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
17.17
Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships
17.17.1
Amount in United States dollars committed to public-private partnerships for infrastructure
17.18
By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts
17.18.1
Statistical capacity indicators
17.18.2
17.18.3
Number of countries with a national statistical plan that is fully funded and under implementation, by source of funding
17.19
By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries
17.19.1
17.19.2
Proportion of countries that (a) have conducted at least one population and housing census in the last 10 years; and (b) have achieved 100 per cent birth registration and 80 per cent death registration
Goal 13
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
13.1
Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
13.1.1
Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
13.1.2
Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030
13.1.3
Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies
13.2
Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.2.1
Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
13.2.2
Total greenhouse gas emissions per year
13.3
Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
13.3.1
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment
13.a
Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible
13.a.1
Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025
13.b
Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
13.b.1
Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
SDG 14 targets covered
Deliverables & Timeline
Resources mobilized
Partnership Progress
Feedback
Share
Timeline
Entity
Geographical coverage
More information
Countries
Contact Information
WonHee Kim, Hyundai green zone