During the general debate of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, held in New York on 22–28 September 2026, Central Asian representatives outlined the region’s environmental priorities. Alongside peace and international cooperation, their addresses covered land degradation, restoration in the Aral Sea region, glacier and aquatic ecosystem protection, and drought resilience.
Kazakhstan: land degradation and water security.
Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi identified land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change as challenges placing growing pressure on societies and economies. He presented the proposal to establish an International Water Organization under UN auspices and recalled the initiative to designate 22 April as the International Day for the Greening of the Planet.
Kyrgyzstan: protecting glaciers and Lake Issyk-Kul.
President Sadyr Zhaparov highlighted glacier retreat and falling water levels in Lake Issyk-Kul, emphasizing the consequences of climate change for agriculture, food security and mountain economies. He proposed a joint trust fund under UN auspices to preserve Lake Issyk-Kul, expressed Kyrgyzstan’s readiness to contribute US$10 million, and invited international partners to the Second Global Mountain Summit, Bishkek+25, scheduled for 21–23 October 2027.
Tajikistan: advancing international water cooperation.
Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin emphasized the importance of water resources and the vulnerability of glaciers for the region’s sustainable development. He outlined a sequence of international meetings: the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi, a preparatory meeting in New York in 2027, and the 2028 conference in Dushanbe, where the Dushanbe Water Framework is expected to be adopted.
Turkmenistan: climate dialogue and drought resilience.
Vepa Hajiyev, Turkmenistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, proposed the Ashgabat Climate Dialogue as a platform for regular engagement among policymakers and experts and for advancing practical climate initiatives. He highlighted regions affected by drought and water scarcity, calling for coordinated approaches combining technology, financing, data exchange and regional cooperation.
Uzbekistan: restoring the Aral Sea region and forest ecosystems.
Saida Mirziyoyeva, Head of the Presidential Administration, called for the Aral Sea region to become a testing ground for environmental solutions, highlighting greening of the dried seabed, water-saving technologies and the target of increasing the share of renewable energy to 54% by 2030. She also called for tangible results under the 2027–2036 Decade of Action for Afforestation and Reforestation, proclaimed by the General Assembly at Uzbekistan’s initiative.
Land-related priorities were expressed primarily through preventing degradation, restoring vegetation and safeguarding water resources. The materials reviewed did not identify separate new initiatives specifically addressing pasture management, soil erosion or salinization.
