On 23 February 2023, the Executive Director of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia Zafar Makhmudov delivered an address at the Seventh EU–Central Asia High-Level Conference, Rome, Italy.
Local and international scientific works indicate a more intense and accelerated increase in temperature in Central Asia than the world average, which negatively affects ecosystems, national economies and the population of the region.
We must take urgent and coordinated actions to combat climate change's negative impact on the environment, economy and society.
In recent years, all countries in the region strived toward green transition and sustainable economic growth. Despite this objective being reflected in national development programmes, it remains a challenge.
The economy of Central Asian countries depends on the carbon energy source. The region has one of the most carbon-intensive economies in the world, where Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan take lead. That’s why sustainable growth will demand actions and policies to do good to people and the planet and will place green growth at the center of future development goals. It will require a strong political and popular will to do so in a short time.
All countries of Central Asia have their national policies and action programs aimed at sustainable development and climate resilience. Most of them are related to national priorities in environmental stability (energy, water), food security, carbon neutrality, climate change mitigation and adaptation.
For example, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan determined the need for climate resilience in their national contributions. Kazakhstan committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 and became the first country in Central Asia to establish a national emissions trading system (ETS). Uzbekistan has adopted several key policy reforms since 2019, including a plan to modernize and diversify agriculture, increase investment in climate adaptation and expand the use of renewable energy.
Green growth demands investments. Central Asian countries achieved significant progress in realizing their potential for transition to a green economy.
Despite the region's success in cooperating on green growth, there are still gaps in sectors prioritized by countries but left unfilled by donors at the regional level: waste, sustainable tourism, forest management and carbon sequestration, sustainable urban development and transport.
Some Central Asian countries already have good initiatives in these sectors, and it would be good to strive for regional initiatives to accelerate green growth through joint and peer learning.