Participation of the delegation of Tajikistan in the session on climate change, glaciers and regional cooperation at COP29 in Baku                    

                                          

The Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan Bakhodur Sheralizoda took part in and spoke at the panel discussion “Melting glaciers in Central and West Asia and its impact on farms (G2F): climate change and Central Asian regional economic cooperation”, organized by the Asian Development Bank and the Green Climate Fund.

“Tajikistan supports the regional initiative from glaciers to farms (G2F)”, recognizing its important role in preserving the source of life in Central Asia,” the Chairman of the Committee noted.

It was also noted that with more than 14,000 glaciers on its territory, Tajikistan provides more than 60 percent of the water resources of Central Asia. The rapid melting of these glaciers poses an urgent and serious threat to water, food and energy security in the region. Over the past decade, more than 1,000 glaciers have completely disappeared in Tajikistan.

The G2F initiative addresses the region’s most pressing challenges. There is an urgent need to implement adaptation and resilience measures through targeted investments that will protect water resources, human lives and well-being, and critical infrastructure.

The Committee Chair noted that the leading and leadership role of the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, in this global challenge gives the region a significant voice. These key initiatives reaffirm Tajikistan’s commitment to preserving glaciers as the main source of fresh water for the entire Central Asian region and combating climate change.

It should be noted that the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) began in Baku on November 11 and will last until November 22 this year.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system.

A total of 198 countries are parties to the Convention. Unless the parties decide otherwise, the COP is held annually. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Berlin, the COP secretariat is located in Bonn.