Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the opening of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya

Participation in the opening of the leaders' summit

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who is on a working visit to Türkiye, took part on November 11 in the opening ceremony of the World Summit of Climate Action. The event is being held in Antalya as part of the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), Kun.uz reports. The ceremony was attended by heads of state and government of a number of countries, as well as representatives of international organizations and financial institutions; a joint photo session was held for the heads of delegations.

Format and agenda of COP31

The leaders' summit is held under the slogan 'Toward a Sustainable, Calm and Just Future' and is intended to give new impetus to international efforts to combat climate change and fulfill global environmental commitments. The COP31 conference itself began on November 9 and will last until November 20; it involves states, international organizations, business and scientific circles, as well as civil society representatives. The focus is on the implementation of the Paris Agreement, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to the consequences of climate change, expanding the coverage of climate finance, and accelerating the transition to a 'green economy'.

The CLiCA regional program

For Uzbekistan and all of Central Asia, the summit's agenda is of particular importance against the backdrop of growing problems with water shortages, soil degradation, melting glaciers, drought, and other consequences of global warming. As part of the summit, the regional program 'Climate-Resilient Landscapes in Central Asia' (CLiCA) was launched, developed by Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan with the support of international partners. The program is designed for seven years, with total funding of 264.4 million euros, of which 103.7 million euros are allocated to Uzbekistan. The funds will go toward restoring forests and pastures, introducing sustainable agricultural approaches under climate change conditions, rational use of natural resources, and expanding the adaptation capacity of the rural population.

Uzbekistan's climate commitments

As noted in the publication, Uzbekistan is consistently fulfilling the commitments it has undertaken within the global climate agenda: by 2035, the country intends to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 50% compared to the 2010 level. Thus, the president's participation in the opening of the summit was accompanied not only by declarations but also by a concrete regional decision — the launch of the CLiCA program with defined funding, which distinguishes this event from the general exchange of intentions at the COP31 venue.