Around key discussions on tackling desertification and drought, a roundtable brought together representatives from the United Nations, regional environmental centers, and government bodies in Ashgabat. The event focused on strategies to prevent land degradation as part of the ongoing UNDP-GEF project aimed at preserving ecosystems in the Aral Sea basin.
The meeting was jointly organized by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, and the Scientific and Information Center of the Interstate Commission for Sustainable Development (ICSD). Participants emphasized the critical challenge that land degradation and increasing drought pose to sustainable development across Central Asia.
The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) underscored the urgency of unified action among government agencies, international bodies, scientific researchers, and civil society to effectively combat these environmental threats. Mergen Kepbanov, director of CAREC’s Turkmenistan office, pointed to cooperation as essential for advancing climate resilience and improving land management practices throughout the region.
Delegates also highlighted the significance of international collaboration in supporting adaptive strategies against climate change impacts. The discussion looked ahead to the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, scheduled for August 2026 in Ulaanbaatar, which is expected to further mobilize efforts against desertification globally.