Marking the World Environment Day as one UN Team

In June 2021, on the margins of World Environment Day, the United Nations Country Team in Turkmenistan and partners launched the Public Information Campaign to raise awareness on the environmental health issues among public and in particular among youth and children to broaden their ecological knowledge on the areas of plastic pollution, recycling, waste management.

The theme for the World Environment Day 2021 is “Ecosystem Restoration” and it also marks the formal launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030, which is intended to massively scale up the restoration of degraded and destroyed ecosystems to fight the climate crisis and prevent the loss of a million species.

The UN Agencies in Turkmenistan jointly with Government of Turkmenistan and other partners launched the Public Information Campaign within May 14-June 4, 2021 including the online video contest themed “What will YOU do to stop the plastic pollution?”, a Training session for SDG Ambassadors on environmental issues, an Educational session on environmental protection for children in a summer camp in “Gokdere” and a Tree planting activity in Ashgabat by the UN staff.

“What will YOU do to stop the plastic pollution?” video contest.

On May 14, the video contest calling to stop plastic pollution was announced on @UN_Turkmenistan social media channels to draw the attention of public and national and international partners to the harmful effects of plastic in our environment and to promote the development of good environmental habits among both adults and children.

The participants were tasked to demonstrate how they would replace some plastic product with an eco-friendly alternative and/or 2) suggest or demonstrate how to give a second life to a plastic product and reuse it to protect nature.  

“We were happy to take part at this contest as the climate change issues and protection of our nature concerns everyone. Our family and friends organize or participate in eco activities regularly”, noted one of the participants of the video contest.

More than thirty video applications were received from all regions of Turkmenistan that demonstrated the eco activities the contestants do at their places, including the reuse of plastic bottles, proper recycling of plastic products and other. The best nominations were awarded and included into the final video that was published on June 4 on the eve of the World Environment Day.

UN Team took part at the Tree planting activity.

On May 31 the UN team gathered near the UN compound and took part in tree planting activity as part of the campaign devoted to World Environment Day. About 45 deciduous trees were planted on a desolate land around the parking lot. This activity aimed to demonstrate an example of good practice and was organized in line with the United Nations Decade of Actions on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 aiming to ramp up efforts to reverse centuries of damage to the planet and accelerate joint efforts to restore ecosystems, including the urban ecosystem, which profoundly marks the quality of people lives.

“We are already experiencing impacts from climate change as a result of global warming, including deadly heat waves, extreme weather events, and threats to life on earth. Planting trees is the one of the most effective ways to combat climate change”, noted Ms. Christine Weigand, UN Resident Coordinator a.i.

The event was organized under the technical lead of the UNDP Project "Sustainable Cities in Turkmenistan: Integrated Green Urban Development in Ashgabat and Awaza" and support of the “Society of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan”.

Educational session for children in “Gokdere” summer camp on environmental issues with young SDG Ambassadors.

The UN in Turkmenistan held an educational session on environmental issues for about 50 children in “Altyn Damja” summer camp located in Gokdere within the World Environment Day campaign on 14th of May 2021.

The activity aimed to raise ecological awareness among children and help them to start caring about nature, water resources and flora and fauna, as well as develop understanding and promote the behavioural change in relation to rational consumption and waste minimization and management.

Children of 10-14 years of old learnt about how plastic affects the planet and people’s health, participated at sports competitions and games and environmental education quizzes.  As a result of this initiative, children were able to increase their knowledge on waste management in an informal format, which allowed them to practice and have fun while learning about waste reduction, reuse and recycling. Through interactive discussions and practical lessons children developed a sense of wise consumption and rational use of resources.

The Educational session included presentations by UNDP Turkmenistan/Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection project "Sustainable Cities in Turkmenistan: Integrated Green Urban Development in Ashgabat and Awaza”, UNICEF office in Turkmenistan, Society of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan and young SDG Ambassadors.

“The smallest action that I can take as a child can be turning off the water while brushing my teeth,” answered the 11-year-old boy from Ahal to the question on how we can protect our environment during the session organized by UNICEF.

Here children had an opportunity to listen to interactive presentation, watch information video animations, play various games on trash separating and craft-making and share their ideas and concerns about the climate change.

The training of young SDG Ambassadors

On 31 May 2021 the training for young SDG Ambassadors was organized by UNDP experts to inform on main environmental concepts and principles. The participants were informed on the environmental protection activities in Turkmenistan as well as global campaigns in this area.

The second part of the session was focused on training the participants as facilitators for various environmental campaigns and activities and in particular for the activities in the “Altyn Damja” children's camp.

The UNDP Project specialists shared their experience in terms of waste management and proper recycling at  the education campaign in summer camp,  held under the slogan "Stop plastic pollution". The practical steps were presented to implement measures for sorting and separate collection of waste.

As the UNDP Project Specialist noted, the words Reduce! Reuse! Recycle! should become the norm for every citizen of the planet in order to create a sustainable existence for all and for the future generation. Our children are looking at us.

“My goal is to educate children and peers about climate change and environment protection. I am very happy as well as my other fellow SDG Ambassadors about this great opportunity to support UN in disseminating key messages on environment,” says Taganova Aygul, young Ambassador of Goal 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production.