TURKISTAN, Kazakhstan

On 26 April 2022, in Turkistan (Kazakhstan), UNRCCA participated in the Central Asian International Scientific and Practical Conference titled “30 years of Water Cooperation in Central Asia: Experience of the Past, Tasks for the Future”. The Conference was organized in a hybrid format by the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Interstate Water Coordination Commission (ICWC) of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS). The conference brought together more than 100 participants, representing relevant government agencies of the five Central Asian states, as well as prominent national and international experts.

Within the framework of the Conference, the UNRCCA in cooperation with the United Nations Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) organized a separate roundtable on the linkages between climate change, peace and security. The event was arranged within the new UNRCCA Strategy on supporting cooperation between the states of Central Asia on Water, Energy, Environment and Climate for 2022-2025, UNRCCA.

The aim of the event was to expand knowledge of the concept of climate security and discuss how related risks can be addressed at local, national and regional levels based on experiences from other regional contexts. Around 30 experts took part in the roundtable from respective ministries and agencies of the Central Asian states. The roundtable provided an opportunity to exchange views and was able to gauge interest for a follow-up dialogue series on climate security, which could be designed to support regional efforts in identifying advantageous and mutually beneficial forms of cooperation on water, energy, environment, and climate change in the region.

The participants expressed gratitude to the UNRCCA for the opportunity to discuss topical issues related to water, energy, environment and climate in the region.