The speaker noted that the countries of Central Asia not only understand the scale of climate challenges, but also demonstrate their readiness to take responsibility for solving them.
“We are talking about both consolidating efforts within the region and mobilizing the international community, which confirms the transboundary and global nature of climate problems that require a multilateral approach,” the expert said, emphasizing the adoption of a number of UN General Assembly resolutions in recent years.
Nematov noted that a particularly important result of RES 2026 was a shift in emphasis from declarations to practical interaction. In his opinion, the adopted documents, including the “Ecological Solidarity of Central Asia” and the Action Program until 2030 in partnership with the UN, strengthen the institutional basis for cooperation and confirm openness to international interaction.
— It is also significant that there is an already formed basic regulatory and strategic architecture for interaction, including the Regional Program “Green Agenda for Central Asia”, the Regional Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change and the Regional Program for Environmental Protection for Sustainable Development. This creates the basis for a systematic and coordinated approach to solving environmental problems,” Nematov said.
Among the key areas for further work, he highlighted attracting investments, developing science and technology, expanding public-private partnerships, as well as strengthening joint monitoring and environmental education.
According to him, it is important to note that during the current RES 2026 forum, the countries of the region outlined not only the scale of climate challenges, but also identified key directions for overcoming them.
“Among them are the coordinated mobilization of financial and technical assistance, the development of a scientific base, technological modernization, as well as the formation of coordinated approaches to the green transition. Of particular relevance are the issues of attracting private investment, developing public-private partnerships, forming a unified scientific and methodological platform, expanding joint monitoring and research, as well as involving young people and developing environmental education,” the expert said.
Separately noted were the initiatives to create regional scientific instruments – the Center to Combat Desertification, the Unified Atlas of Environmental Changes and the Red Book, which will create a unified data system and create a scientific basis for making management decisions at the regional level.
The importance of youth and international initiatives of Uzbekistan was also emphasized, including the World Youth Climate Forum, the Global Environment Facility events in Samarkand and the World Water Conservation Forum. They are seen as a contribution to strengthening global environmental coordination.
In general, as the expert summarized, the climate agenda in Central Asia is becoming a strategic direction that contributes not only to responding to challenges, but also to the development of cooperation, sustainability and long-term growth of the Eurasian space.
We wrote earlier that at the Regional Environmental Summit in Astana stated about the gap between the development of “green” energy and personnel training.
