Bishkek, April 3, 2026 /Kabar/. The expert meeting and the Seventh Meeting of Heads of Ministries and Departments of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States Responsible for Environmental Protection have started in Bishkek.
During the event, Akyl Toktobaev, Minister of Natural Resources, Environment, and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic, delivered a report on current environmental and climate issues.
In his speech, he noted that environmental protection issues are currently at the forefront of the global agenda, and sustainable economic development is impossible without preserving natural resources and ecosystems.
The minister emphasized that the SCO region encompasses vast territories with diverse natural landscapes, from mountain ranges to steppes, supporting the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people. At the same time, these ecosystems are facing increasing pressure from climatic and anthropogenic factors.
Particular attention was paid to climate change, which remains a key challenge for countries in the region. For Kyrgyzstan, as a mountainous country, its consequences are particularly serious.
Akyl Toktobaev noted that Kyrgyzstan is implementing consistent environmental and climate policies and actively participates in international processes, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
"Despite its relatively low greenhouse gas emissions, Kyrgyzstan has set the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. To this end, the country has adopted strategic documents, including national development and adaptation plans, and is implementing transparency mechanisms within the framework of the Paris Agreement," he said.
At the same time, the minister emphasized that for Kyrgyzstan, as for other developing countries, the issue of equitable access to climate finance, modern technologies, and capacity building remains pressing.
Toktobaev also focused on advancing the mountain agenda. At the initiative of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on "Sustainable Mountain Development" for 2023-2027, declaring it a five-year period of action for the development of mountain regions.
Furthermore, Kyrgyzstan continues to serve as a platform for international dialogue; in 2021, Bishkek hosted a conference on sustainable development of mountain regions, with the participation of over 50 countries.
The minister also announced that the second Global Mountain Summit "Bishkek+20" is planned for 2027 and expressed confidence in the support of SCO member states.
He also invited the meeting participants to actively participate in the upcoming forum and contribute to the development of cooperation in the sustainable development of mountain regions.