Astana, Kazakhstan, 15-16 November 2012 - The 24th 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 more than 50 representatives from the environmental ministries and agencies of the five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan - as well as international partners, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the IFAS Executive Committee, the European Union, GIZ, UNDP Kazakhstan, WWF, and other stakeholders.
Objectives of the ICSD Meeting
On the first day, 15 November, a preparatory meeting of Responsible Officials and Heads of the ICSD Scientific-Information Centre (SIC ICSD) was held. Participants reviewed progress reports on the activities of ICSD and SIC ICSD for 2011–2012, as well as updates from the Regional Centre for Renewable Energy Sources in Central Asia (RES CA) and the Regional Mountain Centre (RMC CA). Presentations were also made on the work of the ICSD Public Council and the Central Asian Youth Environmental Network. The current status of the SIC ICSD environmental portal was also assessed.
The agenda then focused on key thematic issues, including progress in the alignment of the Subregional Strategy for Sustainable Development of Central Asia, prospects for the further development of IFAS, and the status of domestic procedures for accession to the Framework Convention on Environmental Protection for Sustainable Development in Central Asia. Discussions also addressed regional cooperation in chemicals management, the development of a new regional project on chemical safety, outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) and related UN system reforms, regional engagement in the “Green Bridge” Partnership Programme, green growth and climate change mitigation initiatives, implementation of the CAPACT project on air quality and clean coal technologies, the EU EURECA environmental programme, and perspectives on regional cooperation for water quality management.
Special attention was given to a joint project being developed by UNECE and ESCAP in support of ICSD initiatives, as well as ICSD’s prospective participation in the 2013 International Water Cooperation Forum in Dushanbe. The session concluded with the discussion and preparation of draft decisions and the draft agenda for the ICSD plenary meeting, along with proposals for the 2013–2014 work plans of ICSD and SIC ICSD.
On 16 November, the main plenary session of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development was convened. Participants reviewed the potential engagement of Central Asian countries in the “Green Bridge” Partnership Programme, implementation of the project “An Integrated Approach to Developing a Climate-Resilient Economy in Central Asia,” continued cooperation within the EU’s regional coordination project on environment and water, and adopted the ICSD work plan for 2013–2014. The Commission also discussed the transfer of ICSD chairmanship and endorsed and signed the meeting’s final documents.
Participants of the ICSD Meeting. Photocredit to SIC ICSD
Conclusions and Decisions
The meeting endorsed the report of the ICSD Chair, the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on the activities of the Commission for 2012. The Commission welcomed efforts to promote the “Green Bridge” Initiative internationally and encouraged Central Asian countries to actively engage in its practical implementation.
The Regional Coordination Department on the Environmental Action Plan for Central Asia (REAP), SIC ICSD, RMC CA, RES CA, members of the Public Council, and the Central Asian Youth Environmental Network were tasked with preparing proposals for cooperation with UNEP on priority environmental issues for the follow-up to Rio+20, to be submitted to the ICSD Chair by 15 January 2013. The Chair was further requested to transmit these proposals to the UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific during January 2013.
The meeting also endorsed proposals from UNECE and ESCAP on a project aimed at strengthening ICSD capacity in subregional environmental governance for sustainable development in Central Asia. Participants welcomed the outcomes of the air quality component under the CAPACT project, taking into account comments and recommendations from the countries of the region.
The Commission took note of the initiative of the Kyrgyz Republic to develop and implement mechanisms for inter-agency and cross-sectoral cooperation in chemical safety and requested the Kyrgyz representative to finalize and coordinate the proposal with ICSD member States ahead of the next meeting.
The ICSD meeting in Astana represented an important step in enhancing regional cooperation on sustainable development, strengthening environmental governance, and advancing coordinated action in support of the Rio+20 outcomes in Central Asia.
Agenda of the Meeting of Designated Officials (15 November 2012)
Agenda of ICSD Meeting (16 November 2012)
ICSD Decisions