Turkmenistan and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) reaffirmed their commitment to environmental protection and climate change action during an online meeting between Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.
The two sides exchanged views on the current agenda of cooperation in the field of ecology, climate change, and environmental protection, and identified priority areas for further collaboration.
Meredov emphasized Turkmenistan’s dedication to addressing climate change as an integral part of sustainable development. He noted the country’s ratification of the Paris Agreement in 2016 and the adoption of the updated National Strategy of Turkmenistan on Climate Change in 2019.
Both parties acknowledged the need for a concerted global effort to tackle environmental challenges and expressed their support for multilateral and systemic partnerships. In this context, the Turkmen side reaffirmed the importance of creating the Regional Center for Climate Technologies for Central Asia, to facilitate coordinated action in the region.
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Environment Protection of Turkmenistan and UNEP on 13 November 2023, was hailed as a significant step forward in the cooperation between the two sides. The MoU will serve as a framework for joint activities in developing and implementing climate technologies and innovations in Turkmenistan and Central Asia.
Discussions also focused on reducing methane emissions and the Global Methane Commitment. The parties exchanged views on the upcoming 28th meeting of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28), scheduled for 30 November – 12 December 2023, in Dubai.///MFA Turkmenistan, 15 Nov 2023
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