March 4-5, 2025, Dushanbe, Tajikistan - Representatives of ICSD participated in the 2nd Central Asian Forum on E-Waste: From Awareness to Action, organized by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Center for Sustainable Development (CSD Center). The Forum's partners included the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of Tajikistan and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
Held in a hybrid format, the Forum brought together over 60 participants, including representatives of government agencies, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and international partners. This facilitated a broad exchange of views and experiences on key aspects of e-waste management.
Based on research and consultations conducted, Forum participants noted that despite existing initiatives for e-waste collection and recycling, the region continues to face significant challenges. These include legislative gaps, underdeveloped infrastructure, and low public awareness.
Photocredit to ICSD
The Forum's objective was to facilitate the transition from awareness to developing concrete tools and strategies for more effective e-waste management in Central Asian countries. The event focused on key priority areas:
- Global trends and challenges in e-waste management in 2024;
- Progress of Central Asian countries in developing e-waste management systems;
- Establishing legal frameworks for sustainable waste management;
- Developing statistical databases to enhance data transparency and accuracy;
- Laying foundations for circular economy principles in the electronics sector;
- Public awareness tools and education initiatives.
Following the Forum, participants discussed the implementation of E-Waste Management Roadmaps, their current status, and key challenges. The discussion also covered implementation phases and potential ways to accelerate progress across Central Asia.
The Forum served as an important regional platform for developing solutions aimed at creating an effective e-waste management system, while emphasizing the need for close cooperation between governments, businesses, and civil society to achieve sustainable outcomes.
The event contributes to the achievement of:
| Priority area No 3 dedicated to SDG 7, 11 and 12: “Green economy including renewable energy sources (RES), waste management and clean transport infrastructure development” |
| 3.3.3 Sharing best practices and technologies in utilization and processing of domestic and industrial waste, and production of environmentally friendly products from recyclable materials; |