BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 11. Uzbekistan and other Central Asian and South Caucasus countries have signed the Silk Road Declaration on Climate-Induced Human Mobility to strengthen regional cooperation on migration and displacement linked to climate change during a high-level event titled "Advancing Human Mobility in the Context of Climate Change" at the Uzbekistan Pavilion on the sidelines of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye on November 10.
According to Uzbekistan's National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, the initiative was proposed by Uzbekistan.
The event was attended by Aziz Abdukhakimov, adviser to the Uzbek president on environmental issues and chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, along with ministers and senior officials from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, as well as representatives of international organizations and development partners.
Discussions focused on the growing impact of climate change on population mobility, livelihoods and the resilience of local communities across Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
Rising temperatures, glacier retreat, water scarcity, desertification, land degradation and increasingly frequent extreme weather events are creating additional risks for communities in both regions. These pressures can trigger forced displacement, alter migration patterns and place greater strain on host communities.
Speaking at the event, Abdukhakimov said climate change was not only an environmental challenge but also a factor directly affecting people's lives, well-being, economic opportunities and mobility.
He highlighted Uzbekistan's experience, particularly the consequences of the Aral Sea environmental disaster, as an example of how environmental degradation can affect public health, livelihoods, economic opportunities and the well-being of entire communities.
The Uzbek official stressed that strengthening climate resilience requires more than addressing environmental problems. It also involves investing in sustainable livelihoods, improving water resource management, restoring ecosystems and developing social protection mechanisms.
He also emphasized the importance of creating conditions that allow people to remain and build their futures in their communities. Where relocation becomes unavoidable, it should be safe, orderly and conducted with respect for human dignity.
The Silk Road Declaration aims to strengthen regional dialogue and coordination on climate-related migration and displacement, improve the resilience of vulnerable communities and develop joint approaches to addressing climate impacts while taking into account each country's national priorities and development circumstances.
Additionally, the event highlighted an initiative proposed by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly to develop a Global Framework of Cooperation on Climate Mobility.
According to the Uzbek side, the regional declaration could contribute to advancing this proposal by promoting the exchange of experience, strengthening international cooperation and incorporating human mobility considerations into national climate adaptation plans, disaster risk reduction policies and sustainable development strategies.
The signing marks a step toward closer cooperation between Central Asian and South Caucasus countries in addressing the human and socioeconomic consequences of climate change.
