On November 27, 2018, in the conference hall of the Damas Hotel in Bishkek, the Climate Network of Kyrgyzstan (KSK) and the Union of Banks of Kyrgyzstan Association of Legal Entities held a round table: Rio-Paris-Katowice: Kyrgyzstan and Climate Policy".
The purpose of the round table was to discuss progress in the integration of climate change issues for/and the formation of a holistic vision of the climate policy of the Kyrgyz Republic. The main open issues of the discussion were:
- Kyrgyzstan's ratification of the Paris Agreement (signed by the Kyrgyz Republic in September 2016 during the 71st session of the UN General Assembly in New York);
- Kyrgyzstan's position in the upcoming negotiations of the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) The United Nations in Katowice, Poland.
The event was attended by deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh, representatives of the Government Staff, ministries and departments, international organizations working in the field of climate change and related issues, as well as representatives of the expert community, the civil sector and the media.
The round table was opened by Nurzat Askarbekovna Abdyrasulova, President of the Unison Group, Chairman of the Coordinating Council of the Climate Network of Kyrgyzstan (KSK) and Anvar Karikeevich Abdrayev, President of the Union of Banks of Kyrgyzstan, who subsequently spoke about the role of the financial sector in the development and promotion of the Green Economy in the Kyrgyz Republic.
"The problems of climate change have an impact on all sectors of our country's economy and cause significant damage in the form of frequent natural disasters. According to experts, the annual economic damage from the effects of climate change for Kyrgyzstan may amount to about 1,350 million US dollars. And for the Kyrgyz Republic, as a mountainous country with increased vulnerability to the effects of climate change, the implementation of adaptation measures is a vital necessity" - Nurzat Abdyrasulova.
The event featured overview reports on the current activities of the financial sector and its role in the development and promotion of the Green Economy, an overview of the climate policy of the Kyrgyz Republic and the planned activities of the Center for Climate Finance under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Aizada Barieva (TVS), Head of the Department of Environmental Strategy and Policy, GAAFL, reviewed the promotion of climate policy in Kyrgyzstan: "Today, the State Agency, as the responsible executive body for the UNFCCC for the ratification process of the Paris Agreement, is assessing the risks of ratification. Together with international implementing agencies such as the UNDP, FAO, and WFP, project proposals are being developed for submission to the Green Climate Fund. The first project of the State Agency with the UN WFP has already been approved in October this year for $ 10 million.”
The presentation of Mr. Iskak Asangalievich Torgoev, Director of the Scientific Research Center "Geopribor", National Academy of Sciences on adaptation measures to climate change in the Kyrgyz Republic, aroused great interest among the participants of the round table.
“Climate change, whatever its causes, is a global challenge. Each country must first of all solve national problems. Due to the peculiarities of the economic and social development of the Kyrgyz Republic, achieving tangible results in adapting to a changing climate cannot be achieved in the short term. Therefore, it is necessary to gradually create a regulatory framework, production and technological conditions in each sector, achieve and consolidate interim results, as well as develop investment projects and search for international donors,” said Iskak Torgoev.
Deputy of the Jogorku Kenesh, Ekmat Jurukpaevich Baypakpayev, also noted that the ratification of the Paris Agreement is extremely important for the country: “I personally support this initiative and will continue to promote it, we will definitely bring it to the chamber, I hope the deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh will support it. I think Kyrgyzstan will certainly be one of the active participants in the Agreement.”
Following the results of the round table, it was decided to send an appeal to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Jeenbekov Sooronbai Sharipovich, the Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Abylgaziev Mukhammetkaly Duishekeyevich, the Chairman of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic Dzhumabekov Dastanbek Artisbekovich on taking urgent measures to accelerate Kyrgyzstan's ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
You can read the text of the appeal and sign it here.
The presentations from the round table can be downloaded here.
