BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 2. Ashgabat is hosting a national seminar focused on biodiversity conservation, rational use of natural resources and sustainable development.
This was reflected in a statement published by Turkmenistan’s MFA on September 2.
According to the Ministry, the two-day seminar is organized under a UNDP and Global Environment Facility project to update Turkmenistan’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans and prepare the country’s Seventh National Report under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
The event is held in partnership with Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Participants are reviewing the draft National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for 2026-2035, as well as issues related to national reporting under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Representatives of government agencies, scientific institutions, the private sector and civil society are taking part in the seminar.
“Particular attention is being paid to biodiversity conservation, the rational use of natural resources and sustainable development,” the Ministry says.
Participants also discussed drafts of Turkmenistan’s Seventh National Report under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, along with specialized reports under the Cartagena and Nagoya Protocols.
The Ministry noted that the seminar is aimed at further strengthening Turkmenistan’s international cooperation in environmental protection and supporting the implementation of the country’s international commitments on biodiversity conservation.
Meanwhile, UNDP notes that more efficient resource use has a direct economic dimension in Turkmenistan, particularly in water-intensive agriculture. Irrigated farming accounts for about 90% of the country's total water consumption. Improving water management can therefore generate multiple benefits, including lower energy consumption for pumping, reduced land degradation and higher agricultural productivity.
The economic importance of resource efficiency is also reflected in efforts to modernize irrigation and introduce water-saving technologies. The World Bank identifies more efficient water use, modernization of irrigation services, and high-efficiency irrigation technologies as areas relevant to Turkmenistan's development, while UNDP projects have tested approaches aimed at reducing water use and energy costs in agriculture.
