President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed a number of Orders today aimed at activating the activities of relevant ministries and departments of our country to fulfill important tasks in the field of environmental protection and expand cooperation with reputable international organizations in this direction, the state news Agency of Turkmenistan reports.

These include the Protocol on amendments to the project Agreement on joint implementation of the project "Central Asian desert initiative (CADI) - Conservation and sustainable use of deserts of Turkmenistan" between the Ministry of agriculture and environmental protection of our country and the Michael Zukkov Foundation for nature conservation (Federal Republic of Germany).

The project, launched in 2019, is being implemented jointly with employees of the “Bereketli Garagum” state nature reserve and the “Repetek” state biosphere reserve, as well as national and international scientific experts.

Its purpose is to promote the conservation of the biological diversity of the deserts of Turkmenistan, prepare scientific and technical justification for nominating desert ecosystems characterized by special climatic conditions and unique flora and fauna to the UNESCO world heritage List, conduct joint field research, train the staff of existing reserves, etc.

Other important aspects include combating desertification, rational land and water use, restoring saline and degraded lands, and applying innovative technologies in agricultural production.

In accordance with the Order of the head of state Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the Working plan for 2020 of the project "Ensuring climate-related socio-economic stability of the population engaged in agriculture in the arid regions of Turkmenistan" was signed between the Ministry of agriculture and environmental protection of our country and the UN development Program.

This project is aimed at implementing measures to adapt to climate change in the development strategy of agriculture and water management, strengthening national capacity in this area, supporting measures to increase the productivity of industrial production and improve agricultural infrastructure in the field, minimizing natural risks in the agro-industrial complex.

It also provides for the organization of online consultations on various aspects of agricultural production with the involvement of foreign experts. The experience gained during the practical implementation of the project will be offered for further dissemination.

In this context, it should be noted that our country actively cooperates with the United Nations and its specialized agencies in the field of ecology, and takes an active part in developing balanced steps with regard to climate change.

For example, Turkmenistan has adopted a National strategy on climate change, which provides for a gradual transition of all major areas of production activities to environmental safety parameters. Last year, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov approved this National strategy in a new version, thus launching the next stage of the country's work on planning and responding to climate impacts.

Being in line with global processes that consolidate international efforts in solving urgent problems of our time, Turkmenistan approaches its contribution to the common cause with all responsibility.

This is evidenced by a number of specific initiatives put forward by the head of state, including the opening of a Regional center in Ashgabat for technologies related to climate change in Central Asia, the development of the UN Water Strategy and other proposals, the relevance of which is confirmed by time itself.

According to the order of the head of state, the signing of the Working plan for 2020 of the project "Sustainable urban development in Turkmenistan: Integrated development of green cities in Ashgabat and Avaza" between the Ministry of agriculture and environmental protection of our country and UNDP is aimed at actively implementing best practices in urban planning and management.

This project is designed to help solve problems in such areas as improving energy efficiency, sustainable transport, widespread use of green technologies, including in construction, promotion of ecotourism, as well as waste management, recycling and use of recyclable materials. This determines its significance in the context of ensuring environmental well-being and achieving sustainable development Goals in Turkmenistan.

Thus, this project and the urban planning and environmental strategies implemented in the country on the initiative of the President of Turkmenistan create the basis for the successful implementation of SDG 11 – ensuring the openness, security, resilience and environmental sustainability of cities and settlements.

Consistent implementation of the joint project of the state Committee for water management of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Development Program "Efficient use of energy and renewable energy sources for sustainable water management in Turkmenistan" is intended to facilitate the signing, according to the Order of the head of state, of the corresponding Work plan for the current year.

The goal of this project is to promote an integrated approach to water resources management, introduce energy – efficient and water-saving technologies, and improve the level and quality of life of the local population.

The project aims to ensure sufficient and environmentally sustainable water supply, prevent land degradation, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with water management through the use of renewable energy sources.

One of the segments of this project is the use of energy-efficient pumping equipment for reclamation systems, which allows to significantly reduce energy consumption, which determines the economic and environmental feasibility of its use in irrigated agriculture and when watering green spaces.

Currently, the development of innovative, environmentally friendly technologies based on the use of renewable energy sources is identified as one of the priority tasks set by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for domestic science.

In addition to environmental cleanliness, such technologies have another significant advantage – long-term operation, which is due to virtually unlimited "reserves" of natural resources. In addition, their widespread implementation in practice will serve to solve such a global problem of our time as climate change.

Thus, the Orders signed by the President of Turkmenistan aimed at the successful implementation of a number of joint projects are intended to contribute to the implementation of complex transformations and reforms launched in our country, strengthen and expand constructive international cooperation in various fields, and achieve the goals of sustainable development.