Kazakhstan`s minister of ecology presents RES program and goals to  media: 58 sessions, preparation of 51 documents, investment  agreements worth over $2bln  

ArmInfo.  The main value of the Regional Ecological Summit (RES) is that it moves problematic issues from the discussion level to practical implementation.

Kazakhstan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Yerlan  Nysanbayev, announced this on April 21 at a meeting with journalists  who arrived in Astana to cover the RES.

Noting that environmental challenges know no borders - droughts,  desertification, climate change, and the state of ecosystems affect  several countries simultaneously - the minister emphasized that  solutions must be developed jointly. "This is especially relevant for  Central Asia. The region needs coordinated approaches to water  security, climate adaptation, and ecosystem protection," Nysanbayev  noted.

According to him, the summit creates a platform where the environment  becomes not a topic of contention, but a foundation for trust,  partnership, and long-term cooperation. Speaking about the upcoming  work of the RES, the Minister of Environmental Protection announced  that heads of state, representatives of the UN, international  organizations, financial institutions, businesses, the expert  community, and the media are expected to participate. "This  composition demonstrates that this is not just about exchanging  opinions, but also about developing solutions that can change the  regional agenda for years to come," Nysanbayev stated.

He also noted that the program includes 58 sessions, the preparation  of 51 documents, as well as initiatives and investment agreements  worth over $2 billion. "This means that the conversation about the  environment is moving to the realm of specific mechanisms,  technologies, institutions, and financing," the minister stated. He  added that the Regional Environmental Summit in Astana is an  important step toward developing a new model of cooperation in  Central Asia. In a broader regional context, he said, the RES also  opens opportunities for dialogue with other states. The minister  recalled that Kazakhstan has adopted a strategy to achieve carbon  neutrality by 2060, which includes specific measures in energy,  industry, agriculture, and waste management, as well as mechanisms  for a just transition to green finance. Furthermore, Kazakhstan has  committed to reducing net greenhouse emissions across the economy by  17% below 1990 levels by 2035. This goal is unconditional and is  enshrined in the updated nationally determined contribution (NDC) as  part of the country's climate policy. "All these steps will help us  achieve ambitious climate goals and promote global sustainability,"  Nysanbayev said.

According to him, the expected outcomes of the summit include a  declaration on environmentally sustainable development for the  countries of Central Asia, a partnership program with the UN for  2026- 2030, as well as an initiative to preserve biodiversity, combat  land degradation, and develop climate cooperation. Particular  attention will be paid to the Caspian Sea as a crucial element of  regional environmental stability.

Nysanbayev also announced an international exhibition of green  technologies, which will be held during the summit.

The exhibition will bring together participants from 30 countries and  a wide range of international partners.  The exhibition will feature  120 pavilions showcasing cutting-edge solutions in sustainable  development.  The minister emphasized that hosting the summit for  Kazakhstan is not simply a sign of its status as host, but a  demonstration of its responsibility and readiness to shape a unifying  agenda, offer a platform for joint solutions, and strengthen regional  cooperation based on trust and mutual benefit. "The main point of the  summit is that the countries of the region should not only discuss  problems but also jointly develop solutions," the head of the  department emphasized, adding that an agenda for sustainable  development and shared responsibility is being formed in the center  of Eurasia.

The Regional Environmental Summit 2026 was initiated by Kazakh  President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and aims to unite the countries of  Central Asia to develop common solutions to combat climate change in  partnership with the UN. This two-year preparatory process began in  2024 and culminates in a High-Level Summit in 2026, where agreed  environmental initiatives and mechanisms for regional cooperation  will be presented.

The goal of the Regional Environmental Summit 2026 is to create an  open platform for developing joint and practical solutions to climate  and environmental challenges, uniting a wide range of countries,  regions, and partners, and demonstrating, using the example of  Central Asia, how interregional cooperation strengthens global  efforts.

The summit received broad support from international partners,  including the UN, the Secretariats of the three Rio Conventions (the  UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Convention  on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the UN Convention to Combat  Desertification (UNCCD)), UNECE, UNDP, UN-Habitat, UNEP, UNICEF,  UNFPA, FAO, UNESCO, UNIDO, WMO, ILO, OECD, IEA, IRENA, ADB, WB, IMWI,  SWITCH-Asia and other organizations. In particular, the United  Nations expressed support in General Assembly Resolution 78/147 of 19  December 2023 "Central Asia Facing Environmental Challenges:  Strengthening Regional Solidarity for Sustainable Development and  Prosperity".