Regional Ecological Centre of the Central Asia (RECCA) and the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Environment Protection and land Resources organized the meeting where representatives of the MFA, the Ministry of Agriculture and Water management of the country as well as member of National Parliament took part. During interesting discussion, the urgency of different activities in addition to existing work plan of the ecological centre including in improvement of the legislation for energy efficiency, renewable sources of energy, climate change, environment impact assessment for projects of development of the economy for achievement of sustainable development on regional level, implementation of principles of low-carbon development were highlighted. Support of water diplomacy is an important direction of the work of the centre.
Turkmenistan continues its presidency in the Board of RECCA from 2013 until 2020. At present moment, Regional Ecological Centre intends to expand its cooperation in the framework of management of the environments in the Central Asia under the presidency of the country in International Fund for Saving of the Aral Sea. The Ecological centre is informational and methodical platform for ecological partnership and sustainable development of the region. Joint activities with IFSA will improve the efficiency of the work.
Representative of the RECCA office in Ashgabat Dovlet Jumakuliyev noted that two regional projects for ecological education and energy efficiency are starting soon. National Action Plan, adapted to the Convention to Combat Desertification strategy, was developed; report on fulfilment of the provision of this document by the country for 2012 � 2013 was drafted.
In 2013 � 2015, Turkmenistan took part in large regional project with participation of the RECCA � FlERMONECA for management of forests, biodiversity and environmental monitoring, under which the accent was made on water and educational segment in accordance with environmental protection policy in the country.
The Regional Ecological Centre was established in 2001 according to the resolution of the 4th Pan-European Conference 1998 (Arhus, Denmark) with the assistance of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and European Union. Five countries of the Central Asian region are the founder of the centre. Country office of the ecological centre in turkmenistan was opened in 201 in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the organization and national Institute of Deserts, Fauna and Flora.
Executive Director of the Regional Ecological Centre Iskandar Abdullayev informed that 250 projects involving governmental and public organization of the countries of the region were realized for 15 years of the activity. Currently, there are around 20 projects under realization. Improvement of basin management of transboundary rivers of the region is an important direction of work of the RECCA. Afghanistan also participates in the projects for ecological education of the youth. Fifty thousand pupils and students had lectures on special green package, six plans for rivers management and fifteen plans for energy efficiency were developed. The centre initiated implementation of Paris Treaty on climate change in the region. Great attention is to be paid to protection of biodiversity, waste management, water preservation and development of water diplomacy in the region. I. Abdullayev expressed his confidence in success of interdepartmental and interstate cooperation.
Source: Turkmenistan: the Golden Age Online Newspaper