The Ministerial Conference of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) on environmental issues was held in Astana under the chairmanship of the Kazakh side. The event was attended online by environmental ministers and their deputies from 26 CICA member states, as well as regional managers of the Green Climate Fund and the International Finance Corporation.
The Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yerlan Nysanbayev, addressed the participants of the Conference with a welcoming speech.
“Kazakhstan attaches great importance to the development of cooperation at the CICA platform, actively participating in its activities and striving to strengthen regional cooperation in the field of ecology.
The Republic of Kazakhstan, like most countries, has faced problems in the field of environmental protection: climate change, air and water pollution, loss of biodiversity, etc. They require our joint actions,” he noted in his speech.
During his speech, E. Nysanbayev also proposed to continue the discussion of the issue of establishing the CICA Environmental Council, initiated by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.K. Tokayev at the sixth CICA Summit.
He also voiced Kazakhstan’s initiatives to create a “Global Low Carbon Platform” to achieve more ambitious climate results through the effective use of market instruments, strengthening the monitoring, reporting and verification system, as well as the Center for artificial afforestation of desert and semi-desert zones of Central Asian countries, which will allow combining all resources, knowledge and experience to implement projects aimed at preventing and mitigating the effects of desertification.
Then the Conference participants were welcomed by the CICA Secretary General – Ambassador Kairat Sarybay.
Further, according to the agenda, representatives of the CICA member states made reports.
On the margins of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Ministerial Conference on Environmental Issues, a high-level statement on the future course of cooperation was made.
Recognizing the importance of active and consistent efforts to address pressing environmental challenges facing our region, consistent exchange of best practices and facilitation of regular meetings between relevant ministries and agencies, we believe that it is necessary to develop cooperation among CICA member states in the field of environment.
We commit to strengthen cooperation in the field of water resources management related to the environment, including capacity building and mutual transfer of technologies, in line with the goals of sustainable development.
Recognizing the gravity of climate change and its cross-cutting impacts on our region, we reaffirm our commitment to sharing experiences, best practices and achievements in combating climate change, its impacts and adaptation to them within the framework of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement, as well as in the context of sustainable development and poverty alleviation. These actions will aim to address the negative impacts of environmental factors and engage all relevant stakeholders in collective efforts to raise environmental awareness in the CICA region.
We intend to improve the quality of life and health, promote the exchange of experiences in climate change mitigation and adaptation, reversal of biodiversity loss, sustainable management of environmental water resources, ecosystem management and pollution control.
We commit to supporting CICA Member States in achieving their environmental goals and promoting sustainable development.
In conclusion, we reaffirm our commitment to the CICA principles and our common but differentiated responsibilities in addressing environmental and climate challenges. This High-Level Statement serves as a testimony to our collective determination to create a sustainable future for the CICA region.
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/ecogeo/press/news/details/835499?lang=ru
