The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Executive Body of the State Authority of the City of Dushanbe have officially launched a new regional project aimed at making Dushanbe safer, greener, and more resilient to climate and disaster risks, UNDP Tajikistan reported. The ‘Enhancing Urban Resilience to Disaster Risk and Climate Change in Central
The European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are joining hands to protect communities living near uranium legacy sites in Kyrgyzstan. On July 8, UNDP delivered three fully equipped computer workstations to the Department of Tailings under the Ministry of Emergency Situations, contributing to the country’s capacity to detect, prevent, and respond to emergencies in radiation-prone zones. This
Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana lags behind Almaty, the country’s largest city in terms of key development aspects, Energyprom.kz reports with reference to the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2025. Astana is on the 276th position among a thousand cities in the ranking, and Almaty ranks 258th. Astana is behind Almaty in such categories as the quality
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supports the Kyrgyz Republic in implementing its national priorities for reducing plastic waste, including the introduction of separate waste collection and recycling, a phased ban on single-use plastics, the development of a circular economy, the promotion of biodegradable alternatives, and raising environmental awareness among the population, UNDP in Kyrgyzstan
The Almosi Valley, an integrated mountain agropastoral system in Tajikistan, has become the first Central Asian addition to the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The system was formally designated under FAO’s flagship program during a meeting of the GIAHS Scientific Advisory Group held from
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, the Akimat of Kyzylorda Region, and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) organized the First National Urban Forum of Kazakhstan (NUF2025) in Kyzylorda on July 8. The event brought together representatives of central and local government bodies, international organizations, the expert community, and the private sector. Held
Kazakhstan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Erlan Nysanbayev, has announced the government’s decision to begin controlling the rapidly expanding population of the saiga antelope in the country. The announcement was made following a June 28 meeting of the minister with farmers in the West Kazakhstan region, who complained about the catastrophic damage to agricultural
A meeting was held at the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan between Minister Aziz Abdukhakimov and Haruki Yamasaki, CEO of the Japanese company Le One Co., Ltd. The meeting discussed bilateral cooperation within the framework of a planned pilot project aimed at introducing innovative environmental technologies. Le One Co., Ltd.
A new project aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency in schools, hospitals, and public transportation has been launched in Uzbekistan. The initiative is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Uzbekistan, with support from the Government of Japan and the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan. The project
The Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has launched a new project to enhance the capacity of national financial institutions to access and deploy green and climate finance. The initiative is aligned with the Kyrgyz Republic’s National Development Programme 2040
The high-level meeting on June 8 in the city of Nice, France to launch the International Decade for Action on Cryospheric Sciences, 2025-2034, was opened by Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, as the head of a leading country in promoting the issues of water, climate and glaciers’ preservation. In his speech, Rahmon stated that Tajikistan is
Kyrgyzstan’s parliament has passed amendments to The Law on Limiting the Circulation of Polymer Film and Plastic Bags, set to take effect on January 1, 2027, 24.kg reported. According to the Law, the following should have been banned throughout the country from 2027: The amendments propose that the Cabinet of Ministers exclude PET plastic bottles
A new group of Przewalski’s horses arrived in Kazakhstan on June 3, marking the second international transportation under the project of the reintroduction of this endangered species to the vast grasslands of Kazakhstan. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the horses were transported from Prague Zoo and Hungary’s Hortobagy National Park by
The Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan and the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, which will be located at the Central Asian University of
Kazakhstan and the World Bank have reaffirmed their commitment to joint efforts aimed at the restoration of the North Aral Sea. On May 16, at the Kokaral dam in Kazakhstan’s Kyzylorda region, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov met with Sameh Wahba, the Regional Director for Sustainable Development at the Europe and Central Asia
In the southwestern part of Issyk-Kul lake, an initiative to restore the population of goitered gazelles—a rare species listed in the Red Book that had nearly disappeared from the wild in Kyrgyzstan—continues to be implemented. The process of restoring the gazelle population began several years ago, with ongoing efforts to care for the animals, protect their
The city of Osh in Kyrgyzstan is joining the EBRD Green Cities programme – a flagship initiative run by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development – with a view to addressing key climate challenges and environmental issues through investment in green urban infrastructure, the EBRD said. The city is set to launch a Green City Action Plan (GCAP),
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is providing a financial package of up to US$ 23 million (€20.3 million) to Demir Kyrgyz International Bank (Demir Bank) to support trade and green innovation in Kyrgyzstan. These funds will help to stimulate trade and address pressing environmental issues in a country badly affected
The UN General Assembly in New York has adopted the resolution initiated by Uzbekistan titled “Decade of Action on Afforestation and Reforestation in Accordance with Sustainable Forest Management”. The resolution was co-sponsored by over 80 countries representing all regions of the world, including Central Asian countries, Azerbaijan, Russia, Brazil, Austria, Germany, Finland, Portugal, India, Iran,
A kick-off meeting for the regional project “Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia” (Phase III) was held in Tashkent on April 17-18. The main purpose of this event was to present and discuss the plans for Phase III of the project with government institutions and national and international partners from three Central