Antalya:Kazakhstan has proposed establishing an international water organization under United Nations auspices to strengthen global cooperation on water security, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov announced at the COP31 UN climate conference.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, Bektenov emphasized the challenges Central Asia faces due to rising temperatures, shrinking glaciers, desertification, and water scarcity. He highlighted the need for closer regional cooperation to address these issues and invited international partners to support the initiative proposed by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Bektenov reaffirmed Kazakhstan's commitment to the Paris Agreement and its national goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. He noted significant progress in renewable energy, with its share in the country's electricity generation increasing fourfold to 8% over six years, with a target of 15% by 2030. Additionally, he mentioned efforts to develop a green energy corridor with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan to export clean electricity internationally.
In a separate address, Kyrgyzstan's Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Adylbek Kasymaliev, called for greater international climate financing for mountainous countries and proposed the establishment of a Global Mountain Resilience Center. He also urged support for declaring 2028-2037 the UN Decade for Strengthening Mountain Resilience and for holding annual UN climate dialogues on mountain issues.
Kasymaliev discussed Kyrgyzstan's initiative to establish an international trust fund for Kyrgyz Lake Issyk-Kul, highlighting President Sadyr Japarov's commitment of $10 million from the state budget and urging international support.
Meanwhile, Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan emphasized the need for stronger international climate cooperation and more accessible climate financing. He reported a significant increase in renewable energy's share of electricity in Chisinau, rising from about 3% to nearly 30% over six years, and pledged a 75% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.