BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 2. Ashgabat is
hosting a national seminar focused on biodiversity conservation,
rational use of natural resources and sustainable development.
This was reflected in a statement published by Turkmenistan’s
MFA on September 2.
According to the Ministry, the two-day seminar is organized
under a UNDP and Global Environment Facility project to update
Turkmenistan’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans and
prepare the country’s Seventh National Report under the UN
Convention on Biological Diversity.
The event is held in partnership with Turkmenistan’s Ministry of
Environmental Protection, with the support of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
Participants are reviewing the draft National Biodiversity
Strategy and Action Plan for 2026-2035, as well as issues related
to national reporting under the UN Convention on Biological
Diversity. Representatives of government agencies, scientific
institutions, the private sector and civil society are taking part
in the seminar.
“Particular attention is being paid to biodiversity
conservation, the rational use of natural resources and sustainable
development,” the Ministry says.
Participants also discussed drafts of Turkmenistan’s Seventh
National Report under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity,
along with specialized reports under the Cartagena and Nagoya
Protocols.
The Ministry noted that the seminar is aimed at further
strengthening Turkmenistan’s international cooperation in
environmental protection and supporting the implementation of the
country’s international commitments on biodiversity
conservation.
Meanwhile, UNDP notes that more efficient resource use has a
direct economic dimension in Turkmenistan, particularly in
water-intensive agriculture. Irrigated farming accounts for about
90% of the country’s total water consumption. Improving water
management can therefore generate multiple benefits, including
lower energy consumption for pumping, reduced land degradation and
higher agricultural productivity.
The economic importance of resource efficiency is also reflected
in efforts to modernize irrigation and introduce water-saving
technologies. The World Bank identifies more efficient water use,
modernization of irrigation services, and high-efficiency
irrigation technologies as areas relevant to Turkmenistan’s
development, while UNDP projects have tested approaches aimed at
reducing water use and energy costs in agriculture.
