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On September 12, 2025, a national seminar was held in Ashgabat dedicated to discussing the process of updating Turkmenistan’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The event was organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
The event was attended by representatives of state bodies, international organizations, and projects such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), German Agency for International Cooperation, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the British Embassy, the Scientific and the Scientific Information Center of ICSD, as well as national experts and consultants. The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) was represented by Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the CAREC Project office in Turkmenistan.
The official opening featured welcoming remarks from representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, and Farhat Orunov, Programme analyst at UNDP. The session was moderated by Batyr Ballyyev, the National Focal Point for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The first session focused on the basics and international requirements for Nationally Determined Contributions. Gurbangeldy Allaberdiyev, national project consultant at UNDP, presented an overview of Turkmenistan’s Fourth National Communication on Climate Change. Batyr Ballyyev spoke about the initiation of the NDC 3.0 update process and its significance for fulfilling obligations under the Paris Agreement. Irina Atamuradova, UNDP project specialist, delivered a presentation on UNFCCC requirements for updating national contributions, their structure, targets, and monitoring mechanisms.
The second session focused on sectoral aspects. A representative of the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan spoke about technological and legislative measures for energy conservation in the power sector. A representative of the State Concern "Turkmengaz" presented approaches to reducing methane emissions in the gas sector and international cooperation in this area. A representative of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan reported on the implementation of Turkmenistan’s 2025–2026 Roadmap within the Global Methane Pledge. Muhammet Durikov, National Focal Point for the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, shared information on Turkmenistan’s voluntary commitments to land restoration. At the same time, Jumamurat Saparmuradov, National Focal Point for the Convention on Biological Diversity, spoke about biodiversity conservation plans up to 2030.
The closing session addressed practical issues. Shirin Badayeva, UNDP project specialist, discussed gender aspects of climate change. Jamal Durdykova, UNDP project specialist, analyzed the social impacts of climate change. Viktoria Akopova, UNDP project specialist, presented the development of the greenhouse gas inventory system, and Irina Atamuradova spoke about the NDC 3.0 preparation plan, including targets for emission reduction and adaptation potential. The discussion concluded with Batyr Ballyyev emphasizing the importance of cross-sectoral cooperation in preparing the national contribution.
“Updating Turkmenistan’s national contribution is an important step in developing sustainable approaches to environmental protection and opens new opportunities for expanding international cooperation in climate action,” noted Mergen Kepbanov in summarizing the seminar.
Participants highlighted the seminar's usefulness and practical significance, emphasizing the importance of such events for knowledge exchange and opinion sharing.
По итогам семинара участники отметили его полезность и практическую значимость, подчеркнув важность подобных встреч для обмена знаниями и мнениями.
Дополнительная информация:
Мерген Кепбанов, директор проектного офиса РЭЦЦА в Туркменистане, turkmenistan@carececo.org