From September 16 to 23, 2023, the Committee for Climate Definition and Biodiversity Conservation of the Green Alliance KG, together with Unison Group, the Institute for Youth Development, the EcoFarm peasant farm, the Rural Development Fund and the AUCA Political Development Initiative at the Center for Civic Engagement, held a climate week
During this week, events were held to raise awareness of climate challenges, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, promote alternative energy sources, sustainable consumption and climate change adaptation measures. The main goal of this event is to unite society, business and active citizens in efforts to combat climate change and ensure sustainable development of Kyrgyzstan.
Meanwhile, four Regional Climate Weeks will be held this year in different regions of the world, aimed at giving impetus to the negotiating process in the run-up to the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties [1] to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP28) and in the context of the completion of the first Global Stocktake, which is designed to chart a path towards achieving the key goals of the Paris Agreement.[2]
As Nurzat Abdyrasulova, President of Unison Group and Chair of the Committee on Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation of the Green Alliance of Kyrgyzstan, noted: “We live in an era when climate change has become an integral part of our reality. Climate disasters are becoming more frequent and have devastating consequences for our ecosystem, economy and health. This is why holding the Climate Week in Kyrgyzstan is so important. This is a moment when we can come together, discuss problems and find ways to reduce our impact on the environment.”
“Climate week in Kyrgyzstan is a unique time when we can unite in a variety of topics and approaches to raise the important issue of environmental conservation. It is also a moment when we jointly search for resources, find supporters and expand the platform for understanding and engaging stakeholders. We were inspired by the cooperation with our partners and local communities, and we want to express our gratitude to everyone for their support,” said Kuluypa Akmatova, Director of the Rural Development Fund.
“One of the events within the framework of the climate week was the large-scale ECOFEST festival. It was the final element of the climate week and is a country and long-awaited event of like-minded people: friends, partners, colleagues and all those who care about ecology and organic agriculture. ECOFEST is aimed at raising awareness of civil society, developing such areas as organic agriculture, organic gardening and crop production, environmental conservation and climate change issues,” said Jamilya Imankulova, member of the Green Alliance of Kyrgyzstan.
Anapiya Rustamovna, project coordinator of the Institute for Youth Development, emphasized: “Climate Week brought awareness and understanding to the lives of a small number of people that problems are everywhere and that we need to fight them together. It is also necessary to understand that only through joint efforts can we improve the environmental situation in our country and reduce our footprint.”
“Climate Week was a great platform to illustrate the central role of sustainable practices and promote a broader understanding of climate, during key events such as the Zero Emissions Day at AUCA and the eco-tour to Unison,” added Mira Djakshylykova, Coordinator of the AUCA Sustainable Development Initiative.
“Global warming affects all countries and forces us to take all necessary measures, including adaptation and mitigation measures, in accordance with national capabilities and socio-economic priorities. Climate Week is a good opportunity to remind ourselves and all stakeholders that joining efforts is of paramount importance on the way to achieving ambitious decarbonization goals,” noted Ilgiz Kambarov, Executive Director of the Green Alliance.
Climate Week included both theoretical and practical events. Six events took place during this week:
September 16 – Cleanup day with international students: with this event we demonstrated to international and local students the value of taking care of the country they are visiting, and also to show our local residents the importance of such events.
September 19 – Eco-tour of the green office for students, which included a visit and study of an energy-efficient facility and place. The eco-tour not only contributed to raising awareness, but also allowed participants to get to know innovative technologies better, and emphasized the importance of using energy-efficient technologies to protect and preserve green ecosystems.
September 19 – CAREC event: the Regional meeting of the WG on the preparation of the CA Pavilion at COP 28 was held in Almaty.
September 21 – “Zero Emissions Day”. The main goal of the event was to draw public attention to the critical importance of reducing emissions and moving to a zero-emissions society, emphasizing the significance of reducing emissions for a sustainable future.
September 22 – Environmental seminar for teachers in Toktogul district. The main goal of the session was to increase the knowledge of secondary school teachers in the Toktogul district in the field of biodiversity, environmental protection and climate change, providing them with the necessary materials and tools for effective environmental education.
September 23 – Eco-Fest 2023, organized by the peasant farm “Ecoferma”. The festival was built around the 5R principle – five simple rules formulated by the famous Zero Waste. At ECOFEST 2023, there was a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a real market and the best environmentally friendly products from local farmers (fresh vegetables, fruits, natural dairy products, etc.). Visitors were also treated to various games, entertainment, a contact mini-zoo and master classes for children.
[1] The COP is the highest policy-making body of the Convention. All states that are Parties to the Convention are represented at the COP, at which they review the implementation of the Convention and any other legal instruments adopted by the COP and take decisions necessary to facilitate the effective implementation of the Convention, including institutional and administrative arrangements. https://unfccc.int/process/bodies/supreme-bodies/conference-of-the-parties-co
[2] https://unfccc.int/ru/news/chetyre-regionalnye-klimaticheskie-nedeli-v-2023-godu-dlya-podgotovki-k-ks-28
