Paving the way for post-COP26 regional cooperation in Central Asia on climate change

The keynote speakers including Ms. Lucia Wilde, Ambassador of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Turkmenistanpresented the main outcomes of the COP26 conference and their significance for Turkmenistan and Central Asia and stressed the importance of the international cooperation as a tool to accelerate the transition to a low emissions economy and implementation of the Glasgow Climate Pact and the Paris Agreement.

The deputy ministers representing the national authorities on environment protection and climate change of the Central Asian states made their statements and presented the current and planned national activities aimed at decarbonization and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in their countries.

The work of the Climate Technology Center and Network and the proposed areas of interaction with the countries of Central Asia was presented by Ms. Rose Mwebaza, Director of the Climate Technology Center and Network (CTCN) UNFCCC.

In his opening remarks Mr. Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan shared the experience of joint efforts of the UN Country Team in Turkmenistan to provide comprehensive and coordinated support to Turkmenistan on climate change agenda including the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and UN on cooperation in the area of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

He also noted: “We need to make more collective efforts, improve communication and increase efficiency, as only through the joined-up action and shared responsibility we can succeed in reducing the impact of climate change”.

The event was a follow-up meeting to the consultations held last year both with national and international partners regarding the establishment of regional cooperation in the field of climate change and the implementation of Turkmenistan's initiative to create a Regional Climate Technology Center in Ashgabat.