January 25 – Almaty – Kazakhstan – The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia hosted the second meeting of the Regional Steering Committee (RSC) of the project “Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program for Aral Sea Basin Additional Financing (CAMP4ASB AF)”.
The meeting gathered representatives of the regional component of the project from CAREC and the national groups of the CAMP4ASB AF project from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, observers of the World Bank and EC IFAS. They discussed the results and plans of the GCF-funded CAMP4ASB project for the period ahead.
The CAREC Executive Director, Zafar Makhmudov, said that following missions in 2022, the overall assessment of the project by the World Bank was positive.
“I am pleased to note that this positive appraisal is the result of our joint efforts and coordinated work to combat climate challenges in Central Asia,” said Zafar Makhmudov. “Since uniting the region is at the heart of CAREC’s activities, I would like to acknowledge all participants of the meeting for achieving positive results due to our joint actions.”
A significant issue was the discussion of holding the Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC-2023) in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) on May 16-17, 2023. The CAREC Executive Director, Zafar Makhmudov, expressed his confidence that participants of the meeting would take an active part in the organization of CACCC-2023.
According to the Coordinator of the Regional Coordination Group of CAMP4ASB AF, Irina Bekmirzaeva, the meeting summed up by the coordination of such decisions as:
1. To start preparation for CACCC-2023, where results of the WB, RSC and NCG will be presented. NCG of the countries supported the CAREC initiative to conduct the joint side event at CACCC-2023
2. To continue joint work, learn lessons, organize joint visits, and study the experience of both Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. NCG of Tajikistan is ready to organize the first visit within CAMP4ASB AF for representatives of Uzbekistan within the participation of NCG of countries at CACCC-2023 in May 2023.
Along with other significant organizational and technical issues.
Background information:
The RSC meetings take place twice a year. Decisions taken at the meetings are the basis for streamlining joint efforts to achieve final CAMP4ASB AF results and indicators at the national and regional levels. The first meeting of RSC was held on June 28, 2022.
The RSC comprises the project participating countries – Tajikistan and Uzbekistan implementing the national components and the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) responsible for the regional components with the involvement of CAREC.
The regional project “Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program for Aral Sea Basin” (CAMP4ASB) was awarded additional financing from the Green Climate Fund by May 2024 and renamed “Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program for Aral Sea Basin Additional Financing” (CAMP4ASB AF). CAREC implements the project jointly with EC IFAS under the financial support of the World Bank and the Green Climate Fund.
Additional information - Irina Bekmirzaeva, Program Manager “Climate Change and Sustainable Energy”/ CAMP4ASB AF Project Coordinator, ibekmirzaeva@carececo.org