Two Chinese geoparks enter UNESCO Global Geoparks Network
新闻台署名 来源：新华社、《黎明报》、《阿拉伯新闻》、阿纳多卢通讯社与《分钟镜报》。由 GSRRA 编辑部翻译并节选。
Kanbula National Geopark on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Yunyang Geopark in southwest China are among 16 sites newly added to the list.
Two Chinese geoparks have officially been added to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization announced on Thursday.
The decision was made during the 221st session of the Executive Board of UNESCO, which approved a list of 16 new entries into the Global Geoparks Network. Among them are two geoparks from China: Kanbula National Geopark, situated on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and Yunyang Geopark in southwest China.
Now designated as the Kanbula UNESCO Global Geopark, the site is renowned for its striking geological formations shaped by complex natural processes. Highlights include the Maixiu volcanoes and the Yellow River, according to a UNESCO press release.
“While the geopark works to preserve this rich geological heritage, it also plays a vital role in protecting local communities from river-related risks, coordinating warning systems and forecasts, and raising awareness on how to respond to flooding and landslides,” UNESCO noted.
Yunyang Geopark earned its place in the network for its extraordinary landscapes formed nearly 250 million years ago. The site features the famous “Great Wall of Dinosaur Fossil” – an 18-km stretch of rock layers containing fossils dating back around 170 million years. It also includes dramatic karst formations, such as one of the world’s deepest sinkholes, which plunges 335 meters and serves as a key site for scientific research.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay highlighted the broader significance of UNESCO Global Geoparks. “UNESCO Geoparks have become models for the conservation of geological heritage,” she said. “But their role goes much further – they support educational projects, promote sustainable tourism, and keep the knowledge and traditions of these territories alive through the active participation of local and indigenous communities.”
Established in 2015, the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network brings together sites recognized for their significant geological heritage that reflect the Earth’s history, evolution, and climate. With the addition of 16 new geoparks, the network now encompasses 229 sites worldwide.
Reference Link:- https://english.news.cn/20250417/16d8df04cd4a415eaf8282cc6e6490a4/c.html
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
