Uzbekistan at the COP31 Climate Summit in Antalya: Financing, a Memorandum with Turkey, and New Initiatives

The Pavilion and the CLiCA Program

At the COP31 climate summit in Antalya Uzbekistan opened its national pavilion, built around the concept 'Uzumzor — the heritage of the past, the joy of the present, and the inspiration of the future': it reflects the natural shade and coolness. The pavilion presents foreign guests with the 'Yash Makon' ('Green Space'), 'Toza Havо' ('Clean Air'), and 'Chiqindidan Xoli Hudud' ('Waste-Free Territory') projects, as well as the activities of Green University; more than 40 meetings and presentations are planned at the venue in total. Kun.uz reports this.

€103.7 million for nature restoration

One of the main events of the conference was the launch of a major program for restoring the nature of Central Asia (CLiCA). It is implemented with the support of the Green Climate Fund, the government of Germany, and the European Investment Bank, with Uzbekistan allocated €103.7 million. The funds will be directed to 15 districts in the Andijan, Fergana, Namangan, and Surkhandarya regions. Under the program, it is planned to restore 18,000 hectares of forests and 123,000 hectares of pastures, build drip irrigation systems and greenhouses on farms, and plant drought-resistant crops. In addition, 12,000 farmers will receive consultations and assistance in obtaining loans, and a total of 342,000 people will benefit from support in adapting to climate change. Aziz Abdukhakimov, Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, emphasized that the program must not remain on paper but must turn into real green slopes, restored pastures, and resilient farms.

Talks with the Adaptation Fund

On the sidelines of the summit, a meeting was held with the head of the Adaptation Fund, Mikko Ollikainen, at which projects worth $15.4 million aimed at protecting agriculture and farmers from climate change were discussed. The Uzbek side proposed opening a regional office of the Adaptation Fund in Tashkent for the states of Central Asia. Also discussed were combating dust and salt storms in the Aral Sea region and early risk detection using artificial intelligence.

Memorandum with Turkey and Meteorology

Following talks with Turkey's Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Murat Kurum, a memorandum on environmental cooperation was signed between the two countries. It provides for joint work on preventing air and water pollution, waste recycling, combating desertification, and developing green cities. In addition, at a meeting with the leadership of the World Meteorological Organization, an agreement was reached on modernizing weather observation systems: in Uzbekistan, accurate forecasts of sand and dust storms, continuous air quality monitoring, and early warning systems for the population about dangerous weather events will be strengthened.