The 3rd Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC-2020)
Background
2020 is a critical year for countries around the world and Central Asia in particular, to start fulfilling the promise of the Paris Agreement as well as to address the Sustainable Development Goals. As many of the elements of the Agreement are in place and already functioning, the implementation and rising ambitions to the most extent depend on proactive actions of multiple stakeholders.
Coronavirus infection (COVID-19) significantly affected the socio-economic situations of all countries of the world. The reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions due to the cancellation of air communication and the temporary closure of industrial enterprises benefited the environment over the recent months. However, whether the environment enjoys this momentum depends on multiple factors (global disease trends, political and economic constraints, and perspectives, regional cooperation, etc.). Meanwhile, it is necessary to draw on the lessons learned now, with critical examples of how climate change initiatives were impacted by the pandemic. These lessons will help the countries of Central Asia to de-risk and properly plan further actions and consider new collaborative opportunities.
The Third Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC-2020) will be conducted online and take place on 19-23 October 2020.[1] The Conference is organized under the framework of the “Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program for the Aral Sea Basin” (CAMP4ASB) and is a continuation of the World Bank’s initiative on climate change knowledge and regional information exchange in Central Asia launched in 2013. The events are called to foster a regional dialogue on climate change adaptation and mitigation, exploring opportunities for joint actions among Central Asia States and other key stakeholders.
Objectives
The main objective of the conference is to strengthen a regional dialogue on climate change and sustainable development by promoting information and knowledge exchange in Central Asia. Other tasks of the Conference is to raise awareness of the countries in the region on lessons, which address climate change, that have been learned in times of pandemic (COVID-19).
The CACCC-2020 is to be resulted in the outcome document, which will track progress and lay down a basis for the joint regional vision of the Central Asian countries on climate actions in times of a new reality. A so-called statement is supposed to be introduced at one of the sessions of the UNFCCC 26th Conference of the Parties (CoP), which will reflect on the joint needs of the countries on finance, technology transfer, capacity building and knowledge.
Target group and language
The conference will bring together experts and practitioners from governmental and non-governmental agencies, academia, development partners, finance institutions and civil society that work in the area of climate change.
Structure and approach
The main approach of the third Central Asia Climate Change Conference is to keep both mitigation and adaptation in a loop.
There will be four thematic sessions:
1. Climate change impacts and policy-making process in times of COVID-19
2. Science and research perspectives on climate change in times of COVID-19
3. Climate-related information and knowledge: challenges and perspectives
4. Financing climate change actions:
a. Block A: international funds (22 October)
b. Block B: other resources (23 October)
Organization
Online streaming of thematic sessions will be held from 19 to 23 October 2020. Each session envisages a presentation segment with the participation of lead regional and international experts on climate change and a discussion part. The duration of the session is up to 3 hrs per day.
For participants from the capitals of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, CAREC Country Offices will provide conference rooms and a coffee break. The venue will be announced later.
Simultaneous translation in Russian and English will be provided during the conference.
[1] CACCC-2020 was originally planned for 16-17 June 2020 in Dushanbe (Tajikistan).
