Turkistan Addresses UN Conference on Desertification

The Mayors’ Forum on “Showcasing the Role of Local and Regional Governments in Combating Land Degradation, Water Scarcity, and Desertification” was successfully held on December 6. It was organized by the “United Cities and Local Governments” World Organization (UCLG) in the framework of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) that had started on December 2 in Riyadh and would continue until Friday, December 13.

Gappar Sarsenbayev, Chairman of Turkistan City Council (Kazakhstan), participated in the Forum on behalf of UCLG-Eurasia and made a presentation. He spoke in detail about the peculiarities of the climate of Turkistan area, dangerous factors of soil degradation and desertification in the region and measures to address the problems, in particular, the Green Belt initiative.

G. Sarsenbayev emphasized that “the creation of a ‘green belt’ around Turkistan is not just an environmental project, but a strategic step in the development of the region as well. It helps to fight soil degradation, improves climate, creates comfortable conditions for residents and makes the city attractive for tourists. The success of the project will become an example for other arid regions of Kazakhstan and Central Asia”.

Note: the Mayors' Forum aims to increase the involvement of local and regional governments in the UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) processes. It is organized by UCLG, Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), UNCCD and UN-Habitat under the auspices of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments. The event focuses on urban-rural linkages, ecosystem restoration, sustainable land and water management.

06.12.2024

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