Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan - On December 17, at 10:30 am, the Sheraton Hotel hosted a presentation of a project on climate diplomacy and security in Central Asia. The project is being implemented by UNDP in cooperation with relevant government agencies in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan with the support of the UK Government.

“Kyrgyzstan, like the UK and all countries of the world, cannot deal with environmental threats alone. That is why the whole world will gather for the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021. I believe this conference provides an excellent opportunity for Kyrgyzstan to draw attention to the unique challenges that Central Asia is facing and propose a plan to contribute to global efforts to combat climate change” -British Ambassador Charles Garrett said in his welcoming speech. “The British Embassy in Bishkek launched this project as part of our bilateral cooperation with Kyrgyzstan and in partnership with UNDP. We hope to raise awareness not only of citizens of Kyrgyzstan, but also citizens of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan about the problems of climate change, and to support the efforts of Central Asian governments to prepare for COP26. I hope that together we can change the situation. "

Louise Chamberlain, UNDP Resident Representative in Kyrgyzstan, said: “As part of the global Climate Promise initiative, UNDP is helping more than 100 countries around the world launch and increase their contribution to reducing greenhouse emissions through the formation of ambitious nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Together with key government agencies and institutions in Kyrgyzstan, we collect data to help develop different opportunities in the climate agenda. This initiative is one of the most important actions to open the way for Kyrgyzstan for international climate finance, which can trigger structural changes towards a green economy, and this can make Kyrgyzstan a leader in the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

Nationally determined contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions (NDCs) form the backbone of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of its long-term goals. In accordance with the NDC, the Kyrgyz Republic announced its intentions to reduce emissions by 13.75% and conventionally by 30.89% with additional international support by 2030 from the base year 2010.

According to Kanat Abdrakhmanov, Director of the Climate Finance Center, “The Kyrgyz Republic is a country with significantly low emissions; Therefore, it is very important for us to take measures to adapt the economy and population to the negative consequences of climate change. Adaptation involves taking measures to prevent and reduce damage to human livelihoods and economic development from climate change. An adaptation plan is necessary to increase the resilience of various sectors of the economy and communities to the already observed and expected consequences of climate change. ”

The project will foster regional cooperation on climate policy and effective climate diplomacy, positioning by countries of their climate agendas based on science-based commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project will also help improve the negotiation skills of national delegations to the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Glasgow in November 2021.

For the purpose of the project, the involvement of academia and the civil sector is desired, encouraging them to participate in climate discussions through the preparation of positional statements on climate action. The Climate Diplomacy and Security in Central Asia project will work closely with youth organizations in the three countries to empower youth to make decisions on climate action through a game format that simulates negotiation processes.