Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On the opening day of the Samarkand Climate Forum, a landmark ministerial session titled "Central Asia in the Face of the Triple Planetary Crisis" was held, underscoring the region’s growing commitment to environmental cooperation.

For the first time in recent years, all environment ministers from Central Asian countries gathered in one place, highlighting the urgency and significance of the issues under discussion:

Aziz Abdukhakimov – Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan

Charygeldi Babaniyazov – Minister of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan

Yerlan Nysanbayev – Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan

Bahodur Sheralizoda – Chairman of the Environmental Protection Committee of Tajikistan

Meder Mashiev – Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of Kyrgyzstan

Saldan Odontuya – Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia

Also joining the session was Viorel Gutu, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia.

A key focus of the session was the development of transboundary protected areas and the advancement of regional conservation programs.

Strengthening cooperation in this area aims to:

Ensure environmental sustainability

Safeguard local livelihoods

Boost the region’s economic resilience

Experts highlighted three interconnected challenges facing the region:

Climate Change – Regional temperatures rising 2–3°C above the global average

Biodiversity Loss – 30% of unique species under threat

Pollution – 40% of water resources fail to meet sanitation standards

At the conclusion of the session, the ministers signed a Joint Statement of Commitment to implement the “Program on the Interconnection between Water and Land Resources in Central Asia,” signaling their readiness for coordinated regional action.

Experts emphasized that only through joint efforts at both national and international levels can Central Asia overcome its environmental challenges and secure a sustainable future for the region.