At the COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Kyrgyzstan pavilion hosted the event “Just Transition in Central Asia: Pathway to Climate Resilience and Social Justice”, organized by CAN EECCA. Participants discussed concrete steps and challenges related to the region’s transition to a low-carbon economy, including decarbonization, the introduction of renewable energy, and the role of civil society.
The speakers of the event were:
Tatiana Lanshina (Agora Energiewende) — spoke about the energy profile of Central Asian countries and the potential for transition to renewable energy.
Rustam Nasirkhan (JSC Zhasyl Damu, Kazakhstan) — emphasized that equitable transformation should benefit all, create opportunities for communities, and turn the challenges of emission reductions into shared prosperity.
Nazgul Koilubaeva (MoveGreen, Kyrgyzstan) — gave examples of successful environmental protection initiatives and emphasized the importance of citizen monitoring.
Anisa Abibulloeva (Little Earth, Tajikistan) — highlighted Tajikistan’s approaches to equitable transition and involvement of vulnerable communities in climate processes.
Central Asia at a crossroads
Central Asian countries face serious environmental challenges, such as high pollution levels and the increasing impact of climate change. Dependence on fossil fuels and fluctuating energy prices exacerbate geopolitical tensions and create economic instability in the region.
In her presentation, Tatyana Lanshina emphasized that Central Asia has significant but still underutilized potential in the renewable energy sector. The geographical and climatic conditions of the region make it particularly promising for the development of solar and wind energy. Utilizing these resources will significantly reduce carbon emissions, strengthen energy security, and create new incentives for economic growth.
Transitioning to renewable energy sources is becoming the most important task for sustainable energy development in Central Asian countries.
Kazakhstan: the need to accelerate the transition
Kazakhstan remains one of the most carbon-dependent countries in the world: 66% of the country’s electricity and 80% of its heat are supplied by coal. This contradicts the country’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. As Rustam Nasirkhan noted, a just transition is not just about retraining and green jobs; it is about ensuring everyone can benefit from the energy transition. As we move towards a low-carbon economy, opportunities must be created for people and communities to earn and prosper, turning the challenges of decarbonization into shared prosperity and sustainable growth.
Kyrgyzstan: the role of civil society
The example of Kyrgyzstan highlighted that civil society plays a key role in implementing climate programs. However, the following barriers remain in the country:
- Lack of qualified specialists.
- Limited access to information on climate policy implementation.
- New barriers for NGOs due to legislative initiatives.
As Nazgul Koilubaeva noted, successful initiatives in Kyrgyzstan, such as projects on air quality monitoring and renewable energy development, prove that civil society can drive sustainable development.
Civil society plays a key role in improving the welfare of citizens by providing social services such as health care, education, legal aid, and environmental protection. However, the law “On Foreign Missions” in Kyrgyzstan may significantly complicate the work of NGOs. The experience of Russia and Belarus shows that such laws negatively impact environmental and journalistic organizations, creating uncertainty for their future activities. To support civil society, bureaucratic and financial barriers must be removed, citizen monitoring needs to be integrated into government systems, and active public participation in policy development and implementation needs to be ensured.
Tajikistan: Just Transition and Prioritization
Just Transition in Tajikistan aims to overcome the social, economic, and environmental challenges of transitioning to a green economy.
As noted by Anisa Abibulloeva, energy efficiency, the development of renewable energy sources, and the involvement of vulnerable communities should be prioritized for a successful transition.
In addition, the problem of including gas in strategic climate solutions was revealed. Switching from coal to gas is not a solution because natural gas consists mainly of methane, which has a global warming potential of about 84 times greater than carbon dioxide (CO2) within 20 years. Methane leaks occur at all gas production and transportation stages, including major incidents, such as the recent leak in Kazakhstan, causing massive environmental damage. The only sustainable way forward is to invest directly in renewable energy and energy efficiency, including insulating homes and switching to environmentally friendly cooking methods.
Recommendations for the region
The event emphasized the need to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy, which would be an important step towards reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Implementing retraining programs in the coal industry to create new employment opportunities in the green economy was also noted. Strengthening the transparency of climate initiatives and the active involvement of civil society in monitoring and developing climate strategies were identified as key conditions for a successful transition. These measures will help the region build long-term strategies that consider social equity, economic sustainability, and environmental responsibility, allowing Central Asia to reduce its carbon footprint and strengthen its position on the global climate stage.
Check out our overview to learn more about the climate policies and recommendations in the region.
