On Thursday, 6 May 2021, the first online working group meeting for drafting a joint action plan within the Green Central Asia Initiative took place.
Mr. Schkade, Head of Division – German Federal Foreign Office opened the meeting and noted:
“Climate change represents a growing global foreign and security threat. Combating it requires decisive action based on solid scientific data and analysis. With Green Central Asia we hope to assist our partners in Central Asia to jointly address common challenges on climate, environment and security by means of dialogue.”
The meeting brought together the designated focal points for the Green Central Asia Initiative of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the partner countries – the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as specialists from the respective Water and Environment Ministries and hydrometeorological services. Representatives of the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin and at the German Embassies in the partner countries were also in attendance.
The working group meeting marked the beginning of discussing and drafting a joint action plan as the basis for a regional dialogue on climate, environment and security. Within the Green Central Asia Initiative, this first in a series of working group meetings was an opportunity to present and discuss not only a framework and methodology, but also the main priorities of action, including topics for the political dialogue, policy advice and capacity building. Strengthening the links between Central Asian countries, the Green Central Asia Initiative also provides a platform for interested international stakeholders.
Background information: The German Federal Foreign Office launched Green Central Asia in January 2020 as part of a preventive and stabilising foreign policy. It is a regional initiative on climate and security in Central Asia – spanning Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. It is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam and German-Kazakh University.
As defined in the Joint Declaration of 28 January 2020, signed by the five Central Asian countries and Germany, topics and priorities in the field of climate, environment and security comprise: environmental protection, mitigation of negative impacts of the Aral Sea crisis, water, renewable energy and energy efficiency, glacier protection, biodiversity, afforestation, combating desertification, land management and sustainable agriculture.
