ASTANA, April 21, 2026 — The 8th Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC-2026) will take place in Kazakhstan’s capital from April 22 to 24, 2026. The event will bring together representatives of government agencies from across the region, international organizations, financial institutions, the private sector, academia, and civil society.
According to World Bank estimates, climate change and extreme weather events have already reduced GDP in Central Asian countries by an average of 5.5 percent. The main drivers include more frequent droughts, floods, and other climate-related shocks. Without urgent adaptation measures, crop yields in the region could decline by up to 30 percent by 2050, posing serious risks to food security and rural livelihoods. In addition, climate impacts could force around 5.1 million people to leave their homes by 2050 due to water scarcity, declining agricultural productivity, and recurring natural disasters.
Since 2018, CACCC has served as a platform for developing coordinated regional approaches and discussing practical solutions to strengthen resilience to climate risks in Central Asia. The conference also facilitates investment in mitigation measures and projects aimed at helping the region’s economies and populations adapt to climate change.
CACCC-2026, organized by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) in partnership with the governments of the region and international partners, will be held as part of the Regional Ecological Summit in Astana.
This year’s motto, “Public–Private Partnership,” is focused on delivering tangible outcomes during the conference—from signing partnership agreements between public and private sector representatives to launching joint climate projects and investment platforms to finance initiatives that reduce emissions, conserve natural resources, and improve environmental conditions across Central Asia.
By 2025, countries updated their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0) under the Paris Agreement, including measures for emissions reduction and climate adaptation, entering the phase of active implementation of their international climate commitments. Participants at CACCC-2026 will place particular emphasis on implementing these updated NDCs at the national level.
Conference priorities will also include strengthening regional cooperation on adaptation, landscape restoration, climate risk management, and renewable energy development.
A key focus will be the mobilization of climate finance, including stronger engagement of the private sector and expanded access for countries in the region to new global financing mechanisms.
Participants will further discuss measures to combat desertification and restore landscapes, manage climate risks, and implement methane emissions reduction initiatives across various sectors.
Another important objective of the conference is to support joint regional preparations for the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in November 2026, where key international decisions, agreements, and financing mechanisms in the climate field are expected to be adopted.
The Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC-2026) is organized by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) under the World Bank’s Central Asia Resilient Landscapes Restoration Program (RESILAND CA+) in collaboration with the Central Asia Water and Energy Program (CAWEP), the World Bank, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, with additional support from other programs and partners.
The Central Asia Water and Energy Program (CAWEP) is a partnership between the World Bank, the European Union, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom aimed at strengthening water and energy security at both the regional and national levels in the context of a changing climate.
Media contact: Zhanna Khussainova, Media Relations Consultant, CAREC, pr@carececo.org, ibubenko@carececo.org