ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 4. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced his decision to establish the International Biodiversity Fund under the President of Kazakhstan, speaking at the International Conference “Central Asia Facing Global Climate Threats” in Samarkand, Trend reports.
In his speech, the president pointed out that the wide-open steppes of Kazakhstan are a goldmine for carbon farming and ecosystem restoration, offering a wealth of opportunities just waiting to be tapped. He noted that rare earth elements form the foundation for the development of clean technologies. Kazakhstan also possesses significant reserves of many critical raw materials and has a full processing cycle.
"Water is an increasing problem for our region, for at least two reasons. Over the past twenty years, water availability per capita has decreased by 30 percent. Moreover, 70 percent of regional water resources are transboundary. This is why we need international support in developing water-saving technologies, smart irrigation, and hydrological monitoring. We are promoting the long-standing idea of creating a Central Asian Water-Energy Partnership," emphasized Tokayev.
The discourse encapsulated critical themes surrounding ecological diversity and endangered species living in Central Asia.
"I am convinced that global efforts for a 'green' transition give all of us a unique chance for a better, cleaner, safer, and more prosperous world. But to achieve this, we must secure both public and private funding for climate goals on a real scale. This will help reduce the risks of having to mitigate consequences, invest in 'green' energy, and build a profitable, sustainable economy. Otherwise, the transition to carbon neutrality will be at risk. To prevent this, we must double our efforts and multiply and expand our partnerships. No country will be able to go through such a long and difficult journey alone," concluded the President of Kazakhstan.
Today, the “Central Asia – European Union” summit took place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The “Central Asia – European Union” summit is an important diplomatic meeting where cooperation issues between the Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) and the European Union are discussed. These summits are usually held to strengthen political, economic, and cultural ties between the two regions.
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