An important working meeting at the national level was held in Ashgabat, where issues of climate reporting within the framework of obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN FCCC) and the Paris Climate Agreement were discussed.
The meeting was organized on March 19th, 2025, within the framework of the project UNDP/GEF/MEP "Sustainable Cities in Turkmenistan: Integrating Green Cities in Ashgabat and Avaza". The event brought together representatives of ministries and departments in Turkmenistan, as well as international organizations and embassies operating in the country. Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan, participated in the meeting on behalf of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia.
One of the main topics on the agenda was the discussion on the preparation of the updated Biennial Report (D1/BUR1) and the first Biennial Transparency Report (DDT1/BTR1). The National Consultant of the UNDP project Gurbangeldi Allaberdiyev provided information on the structure of the reports and their importance for transparency and accountability in the climate change process.
The participants also discussed the chapters of the reports, including the section "National conditions" and "National inventory of anthropogenic emissions from sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases for 2010-2021years". Nazar Allaberdiyev, a representative of the SIC ICSD, and Leyla Hajimuradova, a UNDP project specialist, presented on these topics.
One of the key topics for discussion were the sections: "information needed to track progress in the implementation and achievement of the goals of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and an analysis of the creation of a national monitoring, reporting and verification system (MRV)." Irina Atamuradova, a UNDP project specialist, presented an analysis of existing monitoring, reporting and verification mechanisms, as well as possible ways to improve them. This is an important step to ensure the accuracy of data and to monitor the achievement of climate targets.
The process of finalizing Turkmenistan's Fourth National Communication (HC4/NC4) on climate change under the UN FCCC was also reviewed. The Fourth National Communication (HC4/NC4) is the main document that UN FCCC parties compile and submit as part of their climate reporting obligations.
This document contains a comprehensive analysis of national conditions, an assessment of greenhouse gas emissions, climate change mitigation measures, adaptation strategies, as well as information on policy and institutional measures being taken in the country. HC4/NC4 is the final document characterizing Turkmenistan's climate policy and demonstrating transparency, systematic data on climate change and strengthening the integration of national strategies into the international climate process.
In addition, during the meeting, the preparatory process for updating Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) was presented, which was described by Batyr Ballyev, National Coordinator for the UN FCCC. The NDC update includes the revision of national targets, taking into account new data on emissions and measures to reduce them, as well as the development of additional strategies in the field of sustainable development. The discussion of the NDC renewal process allowed the participants to exchange views on the priority areas of Turkmenistan's climate policy.
Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan, noted that this meeting was an important step in strengthening Turkmenistan's climate reporting within the framework of its obligations under the UN FCCC and the Paris Agreement.
Mergen Kepbanov informed the meeting participants about the upcoming Central Asian Climate Change Conference (CACCC-2025), which will be held from May 13 to 15, 2025. The conference will focus on national and regional priorities, as well as the global climate agenda, including decisions taken at COP29, which will have a significant impact on Central Asia. The main topics will be climate finance, updating nationally determined contributions NDC, as well as the development and implementation of national adaptation plans (NAP) and regional climate change strategies. CAREC organizes the conference in partnership with the Government of Turkmenistan with the support of the World Bank-funded Tajikistan Resilient Landscape Restoration Project (RESILAND Tajikistan), the Central Asia Water and Energy Program (CAWEP) and the Regional Program "Climate Risk Management in Central Asia" of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
"This will be a significant platform for sharing experiences and discussing future steps on climate resilience for the whole of Central Asia," emphasized Mergen Kepbanov.
The meeting ended with a summary of the discussion of key issues of climate reporting and Turkmenistan's obligations under the UN FCCC and the Paris Agreement. The participants noted significant progress in preparing the necessary reports and developing further steps to improve the monitoring and reporting system. All decisions made will contribute to strengthening the country's national climate policy.
Additional information:
Mergen Kepbanov – Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan, turkmenistan@carececo.org