Photo credit: Akorda

ASTANA – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev urged fair, practical, and implementation-focused climate cooperation, stressing that environmental protection is a shared responsibility and a strategic priority for global stability, as Central Asian and regional leaders gathered in Astana for the Regional Ecological Summit (RES) 2026.

Opening the plenary session on Earth Day, Tokayev said Central Asia is moving toward a more unified approach linking climate, water, and environmental security into a single regional agenda. He warned that global uncertainty and environmental risks are already affecting millions of people, and stressed the importance of multilateral institutions and international law.

“We meet here at a time of growing uncertainties and unpredictabilities. Needless to elaborate how deeply and harmfully they affect global and regional stability and life’s quality of millions of people,” he said, adding that the UN Charter must remain the foundation of global governance.

He stressed that climate policy must be fair and balanced, warning against unequal burdens on developing countries and politicization of environmental cooperation.

“The global transition to cleaner models must be fair, balanced and stimulating. … Environmental cooperation must serve as a reliable instrument of unity and should not divide us. It should be based on partnership, trust and shared responsibility – with no naming, no shaming and no blaming. Nature can exist without geopolitics, and the latter cannot exist without nature,” he said.

Tokayev also highlighted regional environmental threats, including water scarcity, glacial melt, desertification, and biodiversity loss, calling for coordinated action across Central Asia. He stressed that the summit must deliver practical outcomes.

“The time for indicating successes is over, the time for making solutions has come,” he said.

He added that protecting the planet is both a moral duty and a strategic necessity.

“This summit reminds us that protecting our planet is a shared responsibility of all humanity. It is about the future of humankind and of our younger generation. It is not only an environmental task, it is a highly moral duty.It is an economic necessity. And it is a strategic priority for peace and stability,” Tokayev said.

Central Asian leaders call for coordinated action on climate change and fair climate financing

Central Asian leaders echoed the call for stronger cooperation and shared responsibility.

President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov opened his remarks by citing the writer Chinghiz Aitmatov, emphasizing harmony with nature and climate justice.

“We must demonstrate our aspiration to live in harmony with nature, to be part of it, and not its owners,” he said.

He also stressed inequality in climate financing.

“The Kyrgyz Republic fully fulfills its international climate obligations, yet receives only a small share of global climate financing,” he said.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev said regional environmental cooperation has reached a “fundamentally new level,” becoming more structured and strategic.

“Countries that have contributed the least to global climate change are once again left one-on-one with its consequences,” he said, calling for fairer access to climate finance and technology and stronger regional integration.

President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon warned about accelerating glacier melt and growing water risks in the region.

“Accelerated glacier melting is already disrupting the water balance and increasing the risk of natural disasters,” he said.

President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov described the summit as a milestone for joint regional environmental work.

“We support strengthening regional cooperation and developing common approaches to environmental challenges,” he said.

Leaders of other participating countries also highlighted shared environmental challenges.

Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov highlighted water security as a growing global priority and supported initiatives to strengthen international cooperation on water resources.

President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan noted that Armenia is already facing significant climate impacts despite its minimal contribution to global emissions, including rising temperatures, water scarcity, and risks to ecosystems and agriculture, calling for joint regional action.

President of Georgia Mikheil Kavelashvili stressed national efforts in sustainable development, including expanding protected areas, reducing pollution, and investing in water infrastructure, while underlining the importance of regional cooperation and innovation.

President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh focused on the vulnerability of mountain ecosystems, pointing to desertification, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss, and called for stronger international cooperation to protect natural resources and ensure ecological balance.

source: Astana Times