Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 27 November 2024 – Representatives of the Scientific Information Centre of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development (SIC ICSD) participated in a national seminar dedicated to the practical application of the Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) concept in the Turkmen part of the Aral Sea Basin. The event was held within the framework of the UNDP project “Conservation and Sustainable Management of Land Resources and Ecosystems of High Nature Value in the Aral Sea Basin,” implemented jointly with the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan.
The seminar brought together government authorities, national experts in the field of environmental protection and sustainable land use, as well as leading scientists from the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences and a representative of the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. The main objective of the seminar was to discuss the current status of land degradation in Turkmenistan, identify priority actions for achieving LDN, and exchange experience on the use of innovative approaches and technologies for the restoration of degraded lands.
Photocredit to UNDP Turkmenistan
During the seminar, Mr. Muhammet Durikov, Director of SIC ICSD, delivered a presentation on the role of the National Action Programme to Combat Desertification (NAPCD) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring the environmental security of the country. In this context, the contribution of SIC ICSD to the preparation of the updated NAPCD was highlighted. The new version is being developed in alignment with the National Socio-Economic Development Programme of Turkmenistan for 2022–2052 and incorporates lessons learned from the implementation of the National Forestry and National Aral Programmes.
The concept of the revised NAPCD was presented, envisioning a comprehensive set of measures including the improvement of the legal framework, identification of priority areas, deployment of an integrated financing system, and promotion of best practices for sustainable land management.
The seminar also featured the presentation of research results conducted with the support of the CACILM-2 project. These included landscape-level desertification assessments, the formulation of national LDN targets, and the development of a draft national plan for the implementation of a digital desertification control system in Turkmenistan. Additional topics discussed included the reduction of sand and dust storm risks, drought management, and options for restoring degraded irrigated and pasture lands.
Participants of the seminar emphasized the importance of adopting a holistic approach to addressing desertification and land degradation challenges, taking into account not only environmental, but also socio-economic dimensions. The need for active engagement of land users, local communities, and other stakeholders in the design and implementation of anti-desertification measures was also underscored.
Данное мероприятие способствует выполнению:
| Priority Area No 5 dedicated to SDG 15: “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems” |
| 5.1.1 Integration of the ecosystem approach for climate change adaptation at the strategic, programmatic and project levels to improve cross-sectoral collaboration (and sectoral plans) and ecosystem protection, restoration and sustainable management. |
| 5.1.2 Capacity-building for sustainable management of forests, land, and pastures. |