Bishkek hosts regional climate policy dialogue for countries of Central Asia

Bishkek, Feb. 4, 2022. / Kabar /. On 3 and 4 February, UNDP in the Kyrgyz Republic hosted a Regional Climate Policy Dialogue under the “The Policy Action for Climate Security in Central Asia” project funded by the UK Government and implemented by UNDP in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, UNDP in Kyrgyzstan reported. The Regional Climate Policy Dialogue was organized over two days to discuss topics that today are key to climate change and are the basis for meeting international climate commitments. The Regional Dialogue included roundtables where countries freely discussed and exchanged their experiences and views with the aim of identifying lessons learned and finding outwhat and how it could be done better in the future.The Dialogue was moderated by Daniela Carrington, International Climate Change Policy Advisor, UNDP. Mirza Jahani, FCDO Development Director for Central Asia,in his welcoming speech emphasized: “Our climate in this region is completely integrated. You can’t protect one country’s glacier wealth without protecting another country’s glacier wealth. One country can’t use all the water resources without depleting the resources of another. One country can't harness large hydropower capability without sharing that capability with others. When one of us hurts all of us hurt. We are stronger together.” Louise Chamberlain, UNDP Resident Representative in Kyrgyzstan, noted: “There is a willingness for better collective climate action. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan were among the countries that submitted their updated more ambitious NDCs before COP26. The national delegations had good preparations for negotiations via climate diplomacy capacity building with UNDP and UK support. And the delegations became more inclusive with the participation of NGOs, civil society, media, and youth. For the first time at a COP, there was a Central Asian pavilion, one joint platform for the region, which successfully demonstrated the climate change actions in our region. We need to effectively implement the Paris Agreement, with particular emphasis to the adaptation needs of the region, and building inclusive collective action.” The aim of the Regional Climate Policy Dialogue is: To make participants acquainted with and better understand the outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) and the climate diplomacy; To exchange experiences and lessons learned from participating at the COP26; To discuss how to improve the preparation for and participation at future COPs,with a view to improving the efficiency of their participation in COP27; Initiate a dialogue on the implementation of the Paris Agreement at the national level. Under the slogan "Uniting the world to tackle climate change" COP26 culminated in the adoption of the Glasgow Climate Pact (GCP). The Pact set the pathway ahead for the entire world to keep the global temperature as low as possible within the target which was established under the Paris Agreement. 1.5 degrees Celsius is considered the safest climate landing zone that humanity might still reach. According to the world’s top climate scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a slip of even half a degree would significantly increase climate risks and may lead to irreversible consequences. The Pact acknowledges that current commitments made by countries so far to cut emissions of planet-heating greenhouse gases (GHGs) are nowhere near enough to prevent planetary warming from exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures. To combat this global challenge, all governments have been called upon to significantly strengthen their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by the end of 2022. The Pact for the first time in the history of the climate change negotiations includes language that asks countries when making the transition towards low-emission energy systems to adopt policies to phasedown coal-fired power generation and phase-out of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. These policies would target the energy sources that scientists believe are the primary driversof anthropogenic climate change. The Pact places great emphasis on urgently scaling up and financially supporting adaptation to climate change and its impacts. Adaptation is a high priority for Central Asian countries, as the risks of climate change are an immediate and fundamental problem for the region. The Glasgow Climate Pact has also completed the so-called “Rulebook” for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, which is now fully operationalized. Countries need to prepare to comply with the requirements of the Paris Agreement and to undertake the needed national activities. Upholding regional cooperation in Central Asia will bring the countries of the region together and make them more effective, both in building national strength for climate change actions and contributing to the global goals of the Paris Agreement. “The Policy Action for Climate Security in Central Asia” project funded by the UK Government, promotes regional cooperation on climate policy and effective climate diplomacy, and positioning of countries on their climate agenda, based on science-based commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project focuses on Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and is implemented by UNDP COs under close collaboration with the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).