The head of state took part in the international conference “Central Asia in the Face of Global Climate Threats”, Tengrinews.kz reports with reference to Akorda.

In his speech, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that Central Asia is a region that is highly susceptible to climate change on our planet. According to him, the temperature here is rising twice as fast as the world average. The region suffers from extreme weather events – glaciers are melting, desertification is underway, and water shortages are growing.

“This situation confirms the need for coordinated actions by all states in the region. The climate decisions we make must clearly correlate with national strategies and ensure high-quality synergy for the full development of the region. We must find the right balance between the growth of our economies and the climate agenda. In this regard, I would like to inform you that I have set the task of planting new trees throughout Kazakhstan. In addition, a special program for the protection and conservation of forests is being implemented, the “Taza Kazakhstan” campaign is being held, which aims to instill environmental awareness, primarily in the younger generation. Together with Uzbekistan, we are working on greening the bottom of the Aral Sea,” the Head of State said.

As Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted, Kazakhstan’s climate agenda incorporates regional cooperation priorities, pragmatic ambitions and international cooperation. According to him, our country contributes to global efforts to support vulnerable countries and views the green transition as a strategic priority.

“Renewable energy is central to our strategy. We are implementing one of the world’s largest green hydrogen production projects. In partnership with leading global corporations, we have launched wind and solar energy projects. Kazakhstan produces about 40 percent of the world’s uranium. This is an important contribution, given that almost 10 percent of the world’s electricity is generated at nuclear power plants. Kazakhstan is now planning to build its first nuclear power plant to reduce emissions and improve its energy security,” the Head of State said.

Photo by Akorda press service

The President said that Kazakhstan’s vast steppes offer enormous opportunities for carbon farming and ecosystem restoration. He noted that rare earth elements provide the basis for the development of clean technologies. At the same time, Kazakhstan has significant reserves of many critical raw materials and a full processing cycle.

“Water is a growing problem for our region for at least two reasons. Over the past twenty years, per capita water availability has decreased by 30 percent. At the same time, 70 percent of regional water resources are transboundary. This is why we need the support of the international community in developing water-saving technologies, smart irrigation and hydrological monitoring. We are promoting the long-standing idea of ​​creating a Central Asian water and energy partnership,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized.

Photo by Akorda press service

The speech touched upon issues of biodiversity and the conservation of unique and endangered species living in Central Asia. The head of state announced his decision to establish the International Biodiversity Fund under the President in Kazakhstan.

“I am convinced that global efforts on the green transition give us all a unique chance for a better, cleaner, safer and more prosperous world. But to do this, we must ensure both public and private financing of climate goals on a real scale. This will reduce the risks of the need to work on mitigation, invest in green energy and build a profitable sustainable economy. Otherwise, the transition to carbon neutrality will be jeopardized. To prevent this, we must redouble our efforts, multiply and expand our partnership. No country can go through such a long and difficult path alone,” the President of Kazakhstan concluded his speech.

Photo by Akorda press service

The conference also featured speeches by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of the European Council António Costa, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the Deputy Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme Anaclaudia Rossbach, the Executive Secretary of the UNECE Tatiana Molchan and the President of the EBRD Odile Renaud-Basso.

Photo by Akorda press service

Read also: What Tokayev spoke about at the Central Asia-European Union summit

Let us recall: The head of Kazakhstan arrived in Uzbekistan on Thursday to participate in the Central Asia – European Union summit and the international conference Central Asia in the Face of Global Climate Threats.

https://tengrinews.kz/kazakhstan_news/tokaev-temperatura-tsentralnoy-azii-rastet-vdvoe-byistree-v-566880/