A regular meeting of experts from the ministries and departments of the SCO member states responsible for environmental protection issues was held in Beijing (China), the event was chaired by the Kazakh side.
According to the official website of the organization, the parties discussed the draft Agreement between the governments of the SCO member states on cooperation in the field of environmental protection, the Cooperation Program in the field of development of protected areas and eco-tourism, the Statement of the Council of Heads of SCO Member States on effective waste management, the Implementation Plan Concepts for cooperation between SCO member states in the field of environmental protection for 2025-2027 and other topical issues.
Along with this, the Joint Action Plan to support regional environmental projects and introduce “green” technologies was studied as part of the implementation of the SCO Green Belt Program for 2024-2026.
Issues of preparation for the SCO-UN Special High-Level Event “One Planet, One Future: Joining Efforts for Environmental Sustainability in Nairobi (Kenya)” were also discussed.
It was decided to hold the next meeting on January 31 - February 1, 2024 in an online format.
It should be recalled that last week the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution initiated by Uzbekistan “Central Asia in the face of environmental challenges: strengthening regional solidarity for sustainable development and prosperity”. The text of the document mentions a number of initiatives of the President of Uzbekistan, including the “Green Agenda for Central Asia” and its role in promoting sustainable development in the region. In the resolution, member states welcome the initiative of Uzbekistan to hold the International Climate Forum in Samarkand in 2024.
