UNDP and partners improve environmental monitoring systems in Ashgabat

Within the framework of the joint project “Sustainable Cities in Turkmenistan: Integrated Green Urban Development in Ashgabat and Awaza”, specialized equipment was purchased and installed to assess and control the state of atmospheric air for the Environmental Monitoring Service and regional laboratories of the Nature Protection Departments of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection.

“In order to promote sustainable practices, develop and create green cities, it is very important to make decisions based on research and collected data and analysis using specialized equipment. That is why one of the objectives of our project is to improve the practice of assessing the state of environment of the city of Ashgabat by various indicators and building the capacity of the relevant departments in processing the data received and reporting on them,” said Batyr Ballyev, UNDP/GEF project manager.

New equipment includes modern instruments and methods for determining the concentrations of pollutants contained in industrial emissions and other sources of air pollution. The employees of the Environmental Control Service underwent a 3-day training, obtained theoretical and practical skills of working on and maintaining new equipment. After practical exercises, participants of the trainings discussed further development and possible improvement of the existing environmental monitoring system.

The installation and use of this equipment by specialists of the Environmental Monitoring Service and regional laboratories of the Nature Protection Departments will significantly improve air pollution control system in Ashgabat and regional centers, and monitor air pollution at a qualitatively new level. In addition, measures taken to improve the monitoring system will also contribute to the implementation of the main goal of the project - to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by optimizing the environmental control of the activities of industrial and production enterprises in and around cities.

As part of implementation of project activities, the procurement of specialized equipment for assessing and monitoring the state of water resources is underway.