Ashgabat, Turkmenistan / Online, 19 May 2026 — Representatives of the Scientific-Information Center of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development of Central Asia (SIC ICSD) participated in the first Introductory Online Meeting with international expert Rakhat Zhanuzakova dedicated to Turkmenistan’s National Reporting under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) within the 2026 reporting cycle.
The meeting was organized to present the key requirements of the Performance Review and Assessment of Implementation System (PRAIS 4) and to discuss methodological approaches, tools and indicative timelines for the preparation of the national report. The event brought together national focal points, reporting officers and technical experts involved in data collection, analysis and processing.
During the meeting, participants reviewed the main stages of the global UNCCD reporting process, including reporting deadlines for the Convention’s Strategic Objectives, the use of the PRAIS 4 platform, integration with the Trends.Earth tool, and the application of open Earth observation datasets. Particular attention was given to the methodology for calculating Sustainable Development Goal indicator 15.3.1, “Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area,” which serves as the principal indicator for assessing progress towards Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).
UNCCD Reporting Support Mechanism of 2026. Photocredit to SIC ICSD.
The international expert also presented an overview of the strengths of Turkmenistan’s 2022 national report, which covered all UNCCD Strategic Objectives and included a detailed analysis of land cover change, land productivity, soil organic carbon stocks, and spatial information on drought and population vulnerability.
Participants of the Introductory Online Meeting. Photocredit to SIC ICSD.
The discussions further introduced new UNCCD guidance materials, e-learning courses, recommendations on the use of national and global datasets, and examples of good practice from other countries. Special emphasis was placed on adapting global land cover classifications to national circumstances and on ensuring the engagement of a broad range of stakeholders in decision-making processes.
The participation of SIC ICSD representatives in the meeting reaffirmed the Center’s important role in providing scientific, analytical and technical support to Turkmenistan in fulfilling its obligations under the UNCCD. The recommendations and materials shared during the meeting will contribute to the ongoing preparation of the national report, further strengthening land degradation monitoring systems and enhancing national capacities for sustainable land management.
The event supports the achievement of:
| Priority Area No 5 of REP4SD dedicated to SDG 15: “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems” |
| 5.1.7 use of modern monitoring methods to account for flora and fauna species, ecosystem conditions, land resources. |
| Priority area No 6 of REP4SD dedicated to SDG 17: “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development” |
| 6.1 Involvement of the region into implementation of global environmental conventions, programmes and initiatives. |