UNEP’s mandate in the Central Asian sub-region has received a further boost following the latest meeting of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development (ICSD) which took place in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on the 26th of May 2016.

In cooperation with the ICSD, UNEP is tasked with providing technical assistance to governments, civil society and private sector stakeholders, sharing best practices and promoting technology transfer, supporting the development of policies and assisting countries in the sub-region towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

The event provided a timely opportunity to showcase UNEP’s work on the subjects of Green Economy; sustainable consumption and production; chemicals and waste management; as well as climate change adaptation. Central Asian States will subsequently initiate nominations of focal points for validation and finalisation of UNEP’s Regional Waste Outlook, work on chemicals, a sub-regional Green Economy scoping study and follow-up activities on SDG cost-assessment.

UNEP was also requested to continue its work on Climate Change Adaptation in Mountainous regions, to advance support for the ratification of the Ashgabad Framework convention, and the development of the Ecoportal environmental knowledge management platform.

Countries furthermore noted the recent work of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes (10YFP) on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Patterns in the sub-region – agreeing that SCP could be an important element in the updated Regional Environmental Action Plan.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and current Chair Turkmenistan are Parties to the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and ICSD as one of its arms - a key inter-governmental platform for regional dialogue and action on environment and sustainable development.

For more information please write to natalia.alexeeva@unep.org