Astana, Kazakhstan, 23–24 November 2011 – The 23nd meeting of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development (ICSD) of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was held in the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The meeting brought together over 30 representatives from the environmental ministries and agencies of the Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – as well as international partners, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), and other relevant stakeholders.
Objectives of the ICSD Meeting
As part of the preparatory process, a meeting of Designated Officials and Heads of the ICSD Scientific-Information Centre (SIC ICSD) took place on 23 November. The discussions focused on the progress in coordinating country contributions to the Framework Convention on Environmental Protection for Sustainable Development, the implementation of the Central Asian Countries’ Initiative on Land Management (CACILM), reporting on the activities of the ICSD Public Council and the Central Asian Youth Environmental Network, as well as preparations for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). Particular attention was given to the outcomes of the seminar “Strengthening Institutional Frameworks for Sustainable Development through an Environmental Dimension,” held in Astana, and to the drafting of proposed decisions to be considered by the ICSD.
On 24 November, the main session of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development was convened, during which proposals preliminarily agreed by the Responsible Officials and SIC ICSD were reviewed and endorsed. Participants took note of the progress in implementing the ICSD decisions of 27 May 2011 and discussed the status of financial arrangements under the Framework Convention. The meeting also addressed regional initiatives in land management and the further engagement of civil society and youth in the sustainable development agenda. Special attention was given to the issue of the Atmospheric Brown Cloud, water quality, return flow management in Central Asia, the findings of the regional diagnostic assessment, and a proposed cooperation plan on water quality issues in the region.
Outcomes and Decisions
The Commission acknowledged the reports of the ICSD Public Council and the Central Asian Youth Environmental Network, including their ongoing preparations for participation in the Rio+20 Conference. The ICSD Chair was mandated to appeal to Central Asian governments to include representatives of civil society and youth networks in their official national delegations to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, and to reach out to international development partners for support in facilitating their participation.
It was further decided to task SIC ICSD, the Public Council, and the Youth Environmental Network with developing a concept for an ICSD side event to be submitted for inclusion in the official programme of Rio+20. The proposal is to be submitted to the Conference Secretariat by 2 December 2011.
The meeting in Astana marked another important step toward strengthening regional cooperation on sustainable development and preparing Central Asian countries for effective participation in global environmental forums.
Agenda of the Meeting of Designated Officials (23 November 2011)