The 11th Central Asian Leadership Programme on Environment for Sustainable Development (CALP) was held this year as a virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from the 14th to 18th September 2020. The crisis has demonstrated enormous potential and opportunities of digital technology, for the first time making it possible to hold the 11th CALP online at high technical level, despite global challenges.
The 11th CALP was organized by Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program in cooperation with UN Environment Programme and with financial support of OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, US Agency for International Development (USAID), World Bank, European Union and OSCE Secretariat in Vienna.
As an input to the «Year of Volunteers in Kazakhstan» the Leadership Program brought together about 70 international, regional and national speakers as well as 46 participants – representatives of government, academic and civil society from 5 Central Asian countries and Afghanistan to engage in addressing environmental challenges in the context of sustainable development.
The main objectives of the 11th CALP are to build action-oriented regional platform for youth dialogue and collective leadership capacity, strengthen environmental volunteering as well as to provide latest innovative solutions to environmental challenges at national, regional, and global levels.
Within the five-day event participants were introduced to key concepts in the area of water diplomacy, climate issues, disaster risk reduction, as well as the impact of the global pandemic by partners and international experts from OSCE Programme Office, European Union, UNEP, USAID, World Bank, OSCE Secretariat in Vienna, SDC, representatives of international projects, CAREC program staff and Country Offices.
In his welcoming speech, Chairman of CAREC Board of Governors, Chairman of the Committee for Environmental Regulation and Control of the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr. Zulfukhar Zholdasov expressed deepest gratitude to all CAREC donors and partners for joint fruitful cooperation and efforts being made in improving the environmental situation in the region. The Governing Council stands ready to provide further comprehensive support in the implementation of its mandate.
“The coronavirus pandemic has clearly demonstrated that we must act together in response to this crisis to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. As a country that has committed itself to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, Kazakhstan is actively working in all areas and is ready to contribute to the successful achievement of global goals. "
This year, the 11th CALP agenda covered a wide range of issues, including the role of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and digitalization of education in response to global challenges, rationalization in the use of natural resources in Central Asia (CA) within the framework of the SDGs, Nexus approach with examples of practical implementation throughout the world, the issues of integrated water resources management and climate change at the global and regional levels.
The Programme concluded with an exciting Closing Ceremony and Awarding of Certificates to participants from 5 Central Asian countries and Afghanistan.
In the period from 2010 to 2020, more than 325 participants of the Leadership Programme graduated, who work in the environmental, water, energy, non-governmental and academic sectors of the Central Asian region. Today, CALP alumni make meaningful contributions to advance regional cooperation and sustainability issues in various sectors across the region.
