"The city of Arkadag is an ecologically safe region of beautiful nature." Under this name, an international conference was held today in the first "smart" city in Turkmenistan, the information program Watan of the Turkmen television reported.

The forum, held in a hybrid format, was attended by the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers in charge of the agro-industrial complex, heads and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, specialists from environmental structures and industry departments, the scientific community, universities and public associations of the country, as well as heads of authoritative international and regional organizations accredited in Turkmenistan.

The conference participants discussed the issues of improving the current legislation in the country in the field of the environment, the main vectors of cooperation with international organizations in this area, the measures taken to combat climate change and adaptation, to ensure environmental well-being and prevent desertification, as well as the importance of growing environmentally friendly products.

In his speech, the UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan, Dmitry Shlapachenko, emphasized that international conferences held on the occasion of the opening of the first "smart" city in the country provide an opportunity to discuss topical problems of the functioning and provision of such cities, taking into account all aspects of sustainable development - economic, social and ecological.

It was stated that the city of Arkadag could become a promising platform for piloting innovations not only in the economy and social sphere, but also in the field of environmental protection.

At the next stage of the construction of the city, especially when building the production facilities of the industrial complex, it is important that all works comply with environmental requirements. All this meets the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations.

UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Tomitsa Paovich emphasized the readiness to maintain and develop partnership with Turkmenistan in the field of promoting smart green urban ecosystems, as well as sharing knowledge and experience to create a joint ecological system that will use new technologies and innovative solutions.

Zafar Mahmudov, Executive Director of the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia, congratulated all the participants of the conference and the Turkmen people online on a significant event - the opening of the "smart" city of Arkadag, noting that joint work will lead to solving environmental problems in the entire region of Central Asia.

It should be noted that in October 2022, a seminar “Organic melon growing and its contribution to the environment” was held near the city of Arkadag, which became a large-scale open-air event. Here, using the theoretical knowledge gained in practice, more than 500 grape seedlings of the “black kishmish” variety were planted.

And in August 2019, the largest lesson on ecology, included in the Guinness Book of Records, took place in the city of Turkmenbashy.

Particular emphasis at the forum was placed on the importance of protective forest belts and improving the ecological condition of agricultural lands, introducing advanced water-saving technologies in countries with arid climates.

The speakers noted that an environmental program is being successfully implemented in Turkmenistan, forest zones are being created everywhere, contributing to the improvement of the climate, the conservation and increase of biodiversity.

Thus, in November last year, as a result of the joint efforts of the participants in the mass planting campaign, over 5 000 seedlings of various tree species were planted in the city of Arkadag.

The international recognition of the city of Arkadag is evidenced by its inclusion in the project “Development of sustainable, green, climate-friendly cities with innovative solutions with OSCE regions”, as well as the presentation on the day of its opening of international certificates confirming the achievements of the new city in various fields.