On April 22, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the opening ceremony of the Regional Ecological Summit in Astana.
The event was also attended by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan, President of Georgia Mikheil Kavelashvili, as well as Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov, and heads of international and regional organizations.
In his address, the leader of Uzbekistan emphasized that environmental issues today cannot be considered in isolation from global climate change.
“The pace of global warming is accelerating, and temperature in Central Asia is rising twice as fast. Nearly a third of the region’s glaciers have been lost, precipitation patterns are becoming increasingly erratic, and water shortages are growing. Land degradation has already affected 80 million hectares,” Mirziyoyev stated.
The President of Uzbekistan put forward specific initiatives aimed at addressing climate and ecological challenges in Central Asia.
Given the deteriorating quality of atmospheric air, he proposed to establish an interstate consortium, “Clean Air of Central Asia,” which could serve as a joint platform for mobilizing green finance to modernize industry and introduce emission control systems.
The President advocated granting regional status to the Center for Combating Desertification, Drought Prevention, and Early Warning of Sand and Dust Storms at the Green University in Tashkent. He noted that consolidating scientific potential at this Center would enable the creation of a robust system for monitoring land degradation, as well as salt and dust emissions.
To accelerate the technological transition, an initiative was put forward to establish a Central Asian Green Trade Corridor, including the introduction of preferential customs regimes and the mutual recognition of certificates for eco-friendly products.
The need to create a unified Investment Portfolio of Central Asian Climate Projects was also emphasized, which would support the development of a coordinated regional strategy and increase partners’ interest in their implementation.
The creation of a Unified Regional Atlas of Environmental Changes can become a fundamental scientific and analytical foundation, clearly reflecting the dynamics of desertification, land degradation, and the state of water resources in the region.
To preserve biological diversity, Mirziyoyev proposed to develop a Red Book of Central Asia under the coordination of the regional office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature in Tashkent.
In order to advance the climate agenda and foster environmental culture among the younger generation, he expressed readiness to hold the World Youth Climate Forum in Uzbekistan in 2027.
In conclusion, the President of Uzbekistan invited participants to attend the 8th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility and the World Forum on Water Conservation, which will be held this year in Samarkand.
Photo: president.uz
