Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Held on 15-16 September this year, the SCO summit in Samarkand became, without exaggeration, a historic event and will undoubtedly open a new era in international relations.

The leaders of 14 states, high representatives of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt, heads of more than 10 international and regional organizations considered a wide range of issues, identified the main vectors of multifaceted cooperation, which are designed to give a tangible impetus to the development of such areas that are in demand in modern realities, such as the economy, trade, and transport , logistics, green and digital transformation, food security, fight against poverty, epidemics and the negative effects of climate change.

The breakthrough nature of the summit is emphasized by the fact that the leaders of the SCO member states did not limit themselves to discussing these issues, but also came to the adoption of specific documents, many of which are conceptual, strategic in nature and at the same time practical, capable of transferring the organization’s activities to a new trajectory progressive development.

Among them, we can mention the concepts of cooperation between the SCO member states on the development of interconnectedness and the creation of efficient transport corridors, in the field of "smart" agriculture and the introduction of agro-innovations, programs, plans and "road maps" of interaction in the field of the use of renewable energy sources, infrastructure development, stimulation industrial cooperation, development of intra-regional trade, increasing digital literacy, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, as well as on the implementation of the provisions of the Treaty on Long-term Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation of the SCO Member States for 2023-2027.

The main achievement of the summit was the demonstration of the firm commitment of the SCO member states to a constructive dialogue and multilateral cooperation in solving the problems of our time. And one of the convincing confirmations of this was the resolute determination of the SCO states to jointly counteract the negative consequences of global climate change, which, as the leaders of states have repeatedly noted at the high-level meeting held in Samarkand, is a problem of a global nature and poses a serious challenge to the development of mankind.

The readiness to take collective measures and coordinate efforts in this direction was reflected in the Joint Statement of the Heads of the SCO member states on climate change, adopted at the end of the summit.

This document outlines the common approaches of the countries of the organization to the issues of mitigation and adaptation to the effects of climate change, the principles on which cooperation is based, and also outlines promising areas for further interaction.

In particular, the SCO member states unanimously recognize the negative consequences of climate change that are worsening every day, state the growing urgency of taking global actions and declare their common determination to coordinate cooperation in this direction in the interests of the entire world community.

The commitment to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement is emphasized, the readiness to work with all parties for the full and effective implementation of these documents is expressed, the need to involve a wide range of actors in this process, including representatives of government agencies, business circles, research centers, scientists is noted and other experts.

A call is made to support developing countries in the field of financing, development and transfer of technologies in order to increase their capacity to combat climate change, to refrain from using the climate agenda to introduce measures that limit the sustainable development of states, to adhere to the principles of fairness, transparency, inclusiveness, consensus, taking into account the peculiarities national development of certain states, as well as common but differentiated responsibilities.

The importance of expanding cooperation in the field of exchanging experience and best practices to ensure the economic efficiency of measures for adaptation and mitigation of climate change, the development and implementation of resource-saving, energy-efficient, green and low-emission technologies, digital solutions, artificial intelligence technologies and big data is noted.

In fact, the joint statement is a policy document that determines the strategic course for the development of multilateral cooperation and is designed to give impetus to the solution of the climate agenda, which, unfortunately, has faded into the background in the context of geopolitical confrontation.

This is especially true in the current realities, when climate problems are exacerbating around the world. The frequency and extremeness of such phenomena as drought, floods, floods and others are increasing. According to the UN, over the past 20 years, more than 1.2 million people have died as a result of natural disasters. The economic damage caused amounted to about US$3 trillion. In turn, on a global scale, the consequences of climate change in the next 30 years will cost the world economy US$8 trillion, will lead to a decrease in world GDP by 3% by 2050.

These processes pose a serious threat to ensuring the sustainable development of all SCO countries without exception, the space of which covers more than 60% of the territory of Eurasia with a population of 3.2 billion people. This year, Pakistan experienced severe floods, China and India experienced drought, and the countries of Central Asia experienced heat waves.

At the same time, Central Asia is experiencing the most acute negative consequences of climate change. Thus, according to the IMF report, over the past 30 years, the temperature in the region has increased by 1.5 degrees, while the global average was 0.7 degrees.

As a result, over the past 50-60 years, the area of glaciers in Central Asia has decreased by about 30%. According to calculations, by 2050, a decrease in water resources in the Syrdarya basin is expected - up to 5%, in the Amudarya basin - up to 15%. By 2050, the shortage of fresh water in Central Asia could lead to an 11% drop in GDP in the region.

The vulnerability of the countries of Central Asia to such dangerous phenomena as floods, outbursts of mountain lakes, landslides, mudflows, avalanches, and dust storms is also increasing.

Given all these social, economic and environmental factors, cooperation within the framework of the SCO on climate issues, which initially originated in an environmental key, is gradually developing into a separate area of activity.

At the same time, the process of its formation was consistent and went through several stages.

At the first stage, the legal framework and cooperation mechanisms were created, which laid the foundation for the climate dimension of the SCO. Thus, already in the founding documents (the Shanghai Declaration and the SCO Charter), the environmental sphere was identified as one of the priority areas of interaction in the SCO.

Adopted in 2007, the Treaty on Long-term Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation of the SCO Member States significantly strengthened the foundations of cooperation in the field of environmental protection, prescribing the adoption of the necessary measures to develop and implement special programs and projects in the areas of ensuring environmental safety and rational use of natural resources.

The second stage was accompanied by the creation of institutional foundations for interaction. Working mechanisms were established, such as the Meeting of Heads of Ministries and Departments of the SCO Member States Responsible for Environmental Protection Issues. So far, three meetings of this format have been held, the last of which took place on 27 May 2022 in Tashkent under the chairmanship of Uzbekistan. The Organization also has an Expert Working Group on Environmental Protection.

In order to provide practical support to the efforts of the Organization states, with the assistance of China, the SCO Environmental Cooperation Center was established in 2014, which provides a platform for organizing interaction between expert, academic, research communities and the public sector on the most pressing issues of the environmental agenda.

In 2018, the SCO established the Platform for the Exchange of Environmental Information, which allows the countries of the Organization to share best practices and practices in the implementation of environmental innovations, biodiversity conservation, etc. The website of the platform was launched in Russian, English and Chinese, and seminars of experts on its development are regularly held.

At the third stage, we witnessed the intensification of multilateral cooperation based on the established mechanisms. The Concept of cooperation in the field of environmental protection of the SCO member states, the Action Plan for its implementation, as well as the Program for the Development of the Ecological Prosperity of SCO Cities were adopted.

In these conceptual documents, based on the interrelated and mutually consequential nature of threats, the SCO member states pay great attention to further expanding constructive cooperation for a joint response to climate change.

It should be noted that Uzbekistan also makes a significant contribution to expanding cooperation in this direction. Thus, at the Bishkek summit (on 14 June 2019), the President of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoyev proposed to adopt the SCO Green Belt program in order to introduce resource-saving and environmentally friendly technologies in the countries of the organization. The demand for this program, which was subsequently approved by the heads of the SCO member states at the Dushanbe summit in 2021, is evidenced by the consolidation in the aforementioned Joint Statement of the readiness of the SCO states to work on its practical implementation in order to achieve significant results.

Such a policy is fully consistent with the Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan for 2022-2026, where the protection of the environment and the environment, as well as the prevention of environmental problems, are identified as one of the priority goals of Uzbekistan both nationally and globally.

At international forums, Uzbekistan consistently puts forward initiatives aimed at strengthening international and regional cooperation on key aspects of the global agenda, in particular with regard to climate change issues. At the 14th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (on 4 March 2021), the President of Uzbekistan took the initiative to develop and approve a Medium-Term Strategy aimed at ensuring energy sustainability and wide attraction of investments and modern technologies in this area.

At the third Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, held on 6 August 2021 in Turkmenistan, the President of Uzbekistan proposed the development of a regional program "Green Agenda" for Central Asia, which will contribute to the adaptation of the countries of the region to climate change.

And therefore, it was quite expected that during the summit of the SCO heads of state in Samarkand, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev again raised the issue of the negative impact of global climate change, focusing on strengthening the multilateralism and the collective role of the SCO in solving this problem of a planetary scale.

In particular, speaking at the summit, Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that the world is facing an emergency situation that requires the most urgent action. Natural disasters, desertification, shortage of water and natural resources are becoming rampant, leading to social and economic imbalances.

At the same time, the Head of Uzbekistan again drew attention to the problem of the drying up of the Aral Sea, recognized by the UN as a global environmental catastrophe, and called on the SCO member states to take joint measures to create an ecologically clean and sustainable space on the vast territory of the organization.

In this regard, the Concept of SCO cooperation in the field of "smart" agriculture and the introduction of agro-innovations, adopted during the summit of the SCO heads of state on the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, is of particular relevance, aimed at increasing sustainable nature and water management, developing measures to combat desertification and degradation of agricultural land , increasing crop yields, as well as the SCO Cooperation Program in the field of renewable energy sources, which provides for the promotion of joint projects in the field of "green energy".

Moreover, during the summit, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed to increase efforts to improve the framework and formats of cooperation, develop common approaches to mitigation and adaptation to the effects of climate change, as well as raise the coordination of the activities of the countries of the Organization in the environmental field to a new level. To this end, the leader of Uzbekistan initiated the creation of the SCO Climate Council, in whose work it is proposed to involve, along with politicians, also public activists, scientists, environmentalists and business circles. The creation of such a council could open a new stage in the environmental activities of the SCO, significantly strengthen the Organization’s potential for the practical implementation of environmental policy based on a comprehensive, interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach, involving all sectors - the state, civil society and business.

It is important that this council be established at the government level. This would make it possible to more effectively mobilize the efforts of the SCO member states in addressing those important tasks that, according to experts, the Organization faces in the medium and long term.

First, this is the formation of a reliable multilateral system for effective monitoring of the climatic and environmental situation, and joint response to natural disasters. Such a system is especially necessary for the timely detection and elimination of cases of environmental degradation, as well as reducing the negative consequences of emergencies and other consequences of climate change.

Secondly, this is an accelerated transition to the "green" rails of development. The SCO should develop cooperation on the introduction of clean energy sources, as well as energy-efficient and resource-saving technologies. Given the growing shortage of water resources in many SCO countries, it is also important to develop mechanisms for the rational use of water resources, including building capacity to introduce water-saving technologies.

Third, this is cooperation in combating land degradation and desertification. This direction is especially relevant for most countries of the organization, which are seriously affected by desertification, land degradation and recurring droughts. Land degradation in India affects about 30% of its territory, in Kazakhstan - from 20% to 60% of pastures, in Kyrgyzstan - up to 50% of agricultural land. In Russia, 100 million hectares are subject to desertification.

Fourth, of course, is the training of highly qualified personnel and the conduct of joint scientific research, which will provide the state structures of the SCO member countries with highly qualified specialists, as well as develop new science-based approaches to solving existing problems.

In general, in a relatively short period of time, the SCO has formed a significant potential in climate change issues. The SCO member countries are well aware that climate change is global in nature and express their readiness to develop effective measures to respond to climate change in the name of the well-being of their peoples, environmental protection and economic development.

Undoubtedly, the unification of the efforts of the SCO states, which account for half of the planet’s population, a third of the earth’s territory and the world economy, will significantly increase the effectiveness of global actions to overcome the negative consequences of climate change and become an effective response to the urgent need of the peoples of the world to preserve the natural foundations of human life.

Moreover, by adopting the Joint Statement on Response to Climate Change, the SCO demonstrates solidarity in confronting the risks and challenges of climate change, and the fulfillment of commitments made under global agreements such as the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.

Undoubtedly, the agreements reached as a result of the Samarkand summit, as well as the initiatives of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, will make an invaluable contribution to ensuring sustainable development in the SCO space and will contribute to the consolidation of the countries of the region in solving global problems of our time.

Akramjon Nematov, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan