Last week, the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP 29) ended in Baku (Azerbaijan). Central Asian states took part in it as well. Experts say that despite the fact that every country raised important issues, there was no unified regional approach in their speeches.
The Conference took part in the territory of the CIS for the first time. Among the five Central Asian states, the four countries, but Turkmenistan, hosted their pavilions. President Serdar Berdymukhamedov did not visit the conference either.
What is COP29 about?
COP29 has been previously dubbed ‘finance cop’ as it reconsidered the amount of climate finance that was approved 15 years ago, and currently it is 100 billion dollars a year. The talks on climate finance have been slow, but eventually developed countries pledged to contribute at least 300 billion dollars annually to the fight against climate change. Developing nations who had sought over 1 trillion dollars in assistance called the agreement “insulting” and argued it did not give them the vital resources they required to truly address the complexities of the climate crisis.
Experts say that the COP29 that was held in the CIS was beneficial to the region because it enabled them to declare about themselves ‘louder.’ According to Aleksey Kokorin, consultant of the regional environmental centre of Central Asia, COP29 has given the region more visibility and active participation of the countries.
“There are the pavilions of all the four countries meaning that they have more chances to establish closer partnership with different countries, a chance to produce the results and represent itself to the world. I’d like to note that Kyrgyzstan has appeared at the official talks more often than any other country of Central Asia. It is very crucial even if you understand that your proposal will not be favoured, yet your concern will be kept in mind,” he said.
What was discussed by the Central Asian presidents?
The statements made by the heads of regional states speak of the ambitious plans on the path towards carbon neutrality.
Kazakh President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev has highlighted the importance of sustainable agriculture and noted that the country having 200 million hectares of farming lands is appropriate for carbon farming, i.e. methods reducing emissions and improving the soil. He also reminded that Kazakhstan ensures 43 per cent of global supplies of uranium and actively participates in the nuclear power development. Kazakhstanis supported the construction of the nuclear power plant at this year’s referendum.
“We strive to ensure the safety and efficiency of the project through partnership with the world’s technological leaders in energy,” Tokayev said.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov during his speech emphasised that the country was planning to reduce emissions by 16 per cent of the emission level under the business as usual scenario by 2030, and by 44 per cent given international support.
According to the head of the state, Kyrgyzstan is planning to achieve carbon neutrality by developing renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, reducing coal consumption via gas supply, reducing power transmission and distribution loss, improving heat supply systems in cities, and raising public awareness of mitigation in the electric power sector.
Japarov noted that Kyrgyzstan initiated a mechanism to relieve from external debt in exchange for climate and sustainable development projects.
“We offer a foreign debt restructuring by applying the mechanisms of debt-for-nature swaps, including the mechanism of the climate trust fund to be rolled out in Kyrgyzstan, which will fund the projects related to ecology and sustainable mountain development,” the president said.
Moreover, Japarov addressed the mountain agenda and noted that Kyrgyzstan has lost 16 per cent of its glaciers in 70 years.
“All glaciers have disappeared in particular regions of the country. And we can lose more than a half of them by 2100. Recognising the importance of sustainable development of mountainous regions, the UN General Assembly, at our initiative, adopted the resolution “Sustainable mountain development” at the 77th session. Thus, we declared 2023-2027 as the five-year action plan to develop mountainous regions,” the president said.
Environmental organisation MoveGreen engaged in civil air quality monitoring in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia has expressed concern about Japarov’s statement related to the plans to reduce coal consumption via gas supply.
“A switch from coal to gas is a temporary measure that prolongs the dependence on the mineral fuel, which the global community is calling for a complete abandonment of. We urge the government to reconsider gas supply plans in favour of a more active development of renewable energy,” is written on the social account page of the organisation.
However, expert in energy efficiency Nurzat Abdyrasulova believes that gas supply is a transition process. Although it is a mineral fuel too, it produces less emission than the coal.
“I personally think that this [gas supply] is a mid-term measure. I assume that the head of state when speaking about gas supply meant Bishkek only. […] In order to cover the people’s need in energy, the consumption of the solid fuel must be cut down first, and then to switch to renewable energy sources, find more effective scientific methods of coal use, like, pyrolysis furnaces (an installation for utilisation of such wastes as motor tires, general rubber goods, polyamide plastics, etc. – Editor’s note),” she said.
Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon said that the country is willing to ensure power production from the renewable sources by 2032 based on the ‘Green Economy’ Development Strategy and to turn Tajikistan into a ‘green’ country by 2037.
Besides, Rakhmon highlighted the issue of rapid glacier melting.
“In view of the close correlation between water and climate, I suggest creating a Regional Coordination Centre for Glaciology in Dushanbe under the aegis of the World Meteorological Organization and in cooperation with other partners,” he said.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said the country is actively implementing the reforms to achieve carbon neutrality.
“By 2030, we are planning to reduce greenhouse emission by 35 per cent, and to expand this obligation by 2050. A share of the ‘green’ energy must rise up to 40 per cent. Electric vehicle, ‘green’ hydrogen clusters as well as solar and wind power hubs are developing,” the head of Uzbekistan said.
Individual approach
Ismail Dairov, an expert in ecology based in Kyrgyzstan, said that despite the fact that Central Asian countries organised their own pavilions, there was no unified regional approach.
“Every country has tried to highlight their own issues. But we have regional issues. We show the connection between climate change and water resources, and the water resource issue is very acute and all downstream Central Asian countries depend on Kyrgyzstan,” he said.
Svetlana Mogilyuk, expert based in Kazakhstan, chair of public association ‘Ecom’, agrees with him. According to her, the region needs to be more active in its effort to take effective part in climate talks.
“There are two levels of work: the statements by top-level officials at the meetings of leaders of states and the detailed elaboration of texts of agreements. It is important to have a good representation of our countries at both levels. Work on the texts of agreements is of prime importance, and it is where one can obtain significant results by protecting regional interests,” she said.
According to the expert, Central Asian countries often work separately at the regional level and offer individual approaches.
“It reduces the efficiency. It is better to get together in groups and coordinate their activities. During the talks, it is critical to declare clearly and defend their regional interests. Besides, we need to strive for the creation of efficient financial mechanisms at the global level, which guarantee that people, not governmental institutions, get the funds,” Mogilyuk said.
According to Aleksey Kokorin, it is important to demonstrate at such platforms that Central Asia does exist and show the unity.
“We need to show that all five countries work together, they have existing regional projects. It is important to have statements of all the countries,” he said.