UNEP scales up support for sustainable development in Central Asia
United Nations Environment Programme will scale up its support on a range of sustainable development areas in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will scale up its support to Central Asian countries on a range of sustainable development areas following a meeting of ministers and high-level country representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Eight decisions for furthering cooperation on sustainable development among Central Asian countries were reached at an Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development of Central Asia (ICSD) meeting in Turkmenistan from 16-18 June.
UNEP will support the regions' efforts on mountains, waste management, the green economy, and legislative and institutional issues.
The United Nations' Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon (pictured) completed a visit of all five Central Asian countries before the meeting and called for improved regional cooperation on sustainable development and environmental protection.
The ICSD is one of the three organisations of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, together with the Executive Committee and the Interstate Commission on Water Cooperation and the three bodies are the only formal structures facilitating cooperation on environmental and sustainable development themes in the five Central Asian states.
Following an ICSD meeting in November, waste management, climate change adaptation and green economy were confirmed as the main areas for enhanced collaboration between Central Asian countries and UNEP.
UNEP's Regional Director for Europe Jan Dusik, and the Head of UNEP's Sub-regional Office for Central Asia Natalia Alexeeva, attended the meeting and UNEP has been invited by the Central Asian countries to extend its support to ICSD work in promoting the shift towards a green economy in the region; improving the management and exchange of environmental data (upgrading the current Ecoportal system and linking it to UNEP Live); advancing waste management; assessment of the climate change impacts on mountain ecosystems; and providing overall support in ICSD's decision-making and functioning.
The meeting in Ashgabat also included renewed commitment to complete approval of the Framework Convention on Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development for Central Asia, adopted in 2006.