Turkmenistan Environment - The Times Of Central Asia

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Doing Deals: At Paris Forum, Turkmenistan Makes a Pitch to the West

OPEC’s secretary general appeared on the video screen in a conference hall in France and ticked off the statistics that have made Turkmenistan such a tantalizing prospect as an energy provider for Europe over the years, despite the convoluted geopolitics and high costs of moving natural gas from Central Asia to the West. “It is among the top 10 global natural gas producers, and the fourth largest in terms of proven gas reserves. And it has plans to expand its oil production capacity,” Haitham Al-Ghais told delegates to the state-backed Turkmen Energy Investment Forum, held in a plush hotel in Paris on April 24-25. The speech from OPEC headquarters in Vienna was short and upbeat. It came at a time when Turkmenistan, a traditionally isolationist country, is seeking to diversify energy customers and as Europe reduces demand on Russian natural gas amid war in Ukraine. Turkmenistan, which is not a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, has long exported gas to China, its biggest customer. The Turkmen government says the construction of a pipeline that would deliver gas to India via Pakistan is making progress, though the infrastructure would pass through Afghanistan, where security is a perennial concern. Last year, Turkmenistan’s foreign ministry spoke positively about plans for a Trans-Caspian pipeline that would deliver gas to Europe, an idea that has circulated since the 1990s but is opposed by Moscow. Also, gas demand has been dropping in Europe and Brussels is reluctant to revive the complex Trans-Caspian project and its undersea pipeline, according to the Warsaw-based Centre for Eastern Studies. There has also been talk of sending gas to Europe through Iran under a gas swap agreement, though international tensions – evident in the recent strikes by Iran and U.S.-backed Israel on each other’s territory -- are likely to persist. “The options, including transport via the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan or through Iran’s pipeline infrastructure, reflect the complex regional dynamics and the need for diplomatic agreements to facilitate gas transit,” Melike Akin wrote in a March 7 analysis for the Ankara Center for Crisis and Policy Studies, a research center. Ankara is the capital of Turkey, which said in March that it will begin receiving some Turkmen natural gas. Details on the delivery are lacking, but the transfer could serve as a playbook for Turkmen supplies to Europe, with Ankara positioning itself as a gas trading hub between Eurasia and the West. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan said in a message to the Paris energy conference that priorities include collaboration with foreign companies on oil and gas facilities in the Turkmen section of the Caspian Sea, development of the huge Galkynysh gas field and construction of the TAPI pipeline to South Asia. The acronym stands for Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India. The president noted that Turkmenistan had made “significant progress” toward reducing emissions when it signed the Global Methane Pledge at the United Nations meeting on climate change, or COP-28, in Dubai in December. Under the agreement, more than 150 nations...

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Turkmenistan Using Almost All Available Water Resources With No Additions in Sight

Meteojournal has reported that Turkmenistan's State Statistics Committee has published a voluntary national review of its progress in implementing the global agenda for sustainable development until 2023 on its website. According to MeteoJournal, in 2021, almost all water resources in the country – 92% – went to agricultural needs. Another 5% was used by industry, and only 3% went to household needs. At the same time, Turkmenistan used almost all available fresh water resources, and due to increasing consumption, the country has no additional water sources. In 2016, the utilization rate of water resources reached 97.5%; in 2018, it had dropped to 89.9%, then in 2020 it reached 85.2%, and in 2021 -- 87.1 percent. Meteojournal stated that the increase in demand for fresh water can be met only through its rational use. According to the review, 95% of the population has access to clean and safe water, whilst 99.9% of the population uses water supply services organized in compliance with safety requirements. The share of safely treated wastewater in 2022 was 57.4%. Meteojournal, which familiarized itself with the review, noted that Turkmenistan - which possesses huge potential for using renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy - is currently not harnessing its potential. The review mentioned the construction of a 10-megawatt (MW) hybrid power plant using solar and wind energy in Kyzil-Arvat. The project was planned to be completed in January 2024, but has yet to open, and local media haven't reported any updates on the pace and status of the work.

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Turkmenistan and Afghanistan Discuss Collaborative Projects

On March 4th, a large Afghan delegation led by Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Trade of Afghanistan, participated in a Turkmen-Afghan business forum and exhibition of Afghan goods in Ashgabat. Issues discussed included Turkmen-Afghan partnerships in trade, industry, agriculture, transport, communications, and electricity supply. Also on the agenda were oil and gas which alongside textiles, comprise Turkmenistan’s main exports to Afghanistan. As reported by the Turkmen Foreign Ministry, special attention was paid to the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) high-voltage power transmission line. The group also focused on the establishment of transport routes and in particular, railways from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan. Azizi emphasized the desire of the Afghan business sector to further increase trade with Turkmenistan, develop Afghanistan’s infrastructure, and exploit the transit potential of both countries. Afghan TOLOnews, quoting Mergen Gurdov, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, reported that in 2023, trade between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan generated $457 million and this January alone, $46 million. The agro-industrial sector was cited as a promising field for Turkmen-Afghan cooperation, with the Turkmen Foreign Ministry raising the issue of transboundary water resources. Turkmenistan insists that the use of water involves cooperation with neighboring countries, conducted in accordance with international law, and based on principles of mutual respect and in the spirit of traditional good neighborliness. Afghan Minister Azizi pledged that regarding the use of transboundary water resources and construction of water facilities to further the prosperity of his people, Kabul will honour principles of mutual consent and respect for neighboring countries, especially Turkmenistan, with whom Afghanistan has long maintained an amicable relationship. The issue came to the fore last month following Afghanistan’s announcement that construction has begun on the second phase of the Qosh Tepa Canal; a project prioritized by the Taliban- led government since early 2022. By diverting water from the Amu Darya River, the canal will convert 550,000 hectares of desert into farmland in northern Afghanistan, but could also have an adverse effect on agriculture in downstream Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

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Record Numbers of Pink Flamingos Are Wintering in Turkmenistan

This year the Turkmen coastline of the Caspian Sea has hosted a record number of wintering birds. According to the international ornithological expedition, more than 207,000 birds have flown there since the fall. Pink flamingos, listed in the so-called Red Book of endangered species, are the emblem of Turkmenistan's Khazar State Nature Reserve. Scientists at the reserve counted 30,392 of these migratory birds in total. Turkmen ornithologist A.A. Shcherbina commented that "this is an official record, both according to recorded data and observations in our sector of the sea, which I have been engaged in since 1971." In Latin flamingo means fire or flame. This species is most commonly found in Africa, Southeast and Central Asia, the Caucasus, Central and South America, and the Mediterranean. In Central Asia there is a red-winged species of flamingo, which is usually called 'pink'. Nomadic peoples across Asia believe that seeing one will make them happy. Scientists carefully study, photograph and keep records of all coastal animal species of the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea. Specialists have noted that in the past years, endangered flamingos preferred to spend their winters in Iran. The current relocation of the birds, it seems, is caused by favorable changes in the water of the Caspian Sea and its coastline. Thanks to the efforts of staff from the Khazar reserve, natural conditions for nesting are improving on the Turkmen coast -- and the food base for protected birds is growing. According to their calculations, there are 50,000 more migratory birds this season than last season. The reserve, founded in 1934, took its name from the ancient name of the Caspian Sea -- Khazar. Most of the reserve's 270,000 hectares fall on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

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One Health Nature Conservation Project Launches in Central Asia

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its international partners have launched the One Health Central Asia project, aiming to mitigate the risk of zoonoses – diseases that are naturally transmissible from animals to humans – in Central Asia. The new initiative was announced on February 13th at the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The risk of zoonotic diseases in Central Asia is exacerbated by biodiversity loss and changes in human-wildlife interactions. As part of the new initiative, IUCN and national and international partners, including all five Central Asian countries, will implement actions to prevent the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases, IUCN reported on its website. The experts will work to consolidate a fair and effective regional network of protected and conserved areas, strengthen conservation measures and wildlife management for disease risk mitigation, and promote the latest advancements in zoonosis research and technology. Speaking at the launch ceremony, IUCN’s director general, Dr Grethel Aguilar, said that nature conservation can contribute to mitigating the risk of zoonotic disease outbreaks, and this important new initiative will strengthen the resilience of Central Asian landscapes, bringing numerous benefits to communities. “We will continue to support the governments here to build regional capacity to apply IUCN's tools and standards, including the IUCN Green List, best practices in species management, and the latest advancements in zoonosis research.” Aziz Abdukhakimov, the minister of ecology, environmental protection, and climate change of Uzbekistan, commented that: “Over the past few years we have observed how the spread of zoonotic diseases like COVID-19 can have a global impact. This has resulted in entire countries being demobilized, transportation connections being disrupted, an increase in food security issues, and massive socio-economic consequences. We are committed to expanding regional cooperation for sustainable management of protected natural areas, preserving unique biological diversity, and contributing to the environmental balance in the Central Asian region, which will receive a significant boost through this project on One Health in nature conservation.” Supported by a €11m contribution from the German Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection via the International Climate Initiative, this major regional initiative will spearhead the One Health approach in Central Asia over the next six years. The initiative, entitled Enhancing landscape resilience to zoonotic disease emergence by consolidating nature conservation systems in Central Asia, will focus on the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. "Obstacles to migration reduce the habitat available to migratory species. This phenomenon has been observed across Central Asia with species such as the Saiga, Wild Ass, and even those with relatively small ranges, like the Bukhara Deer,” said Amy Fraenkel, the executive secretary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), one of the international partners of the One Health Central Asia initiative. “In the diminished and fragmented habitats, migratory species of wild animals often find themselves in contact and competition with livestock for pasture and water...

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UNDP Supports Sustainable Development of Caspian Region

A roundtable discussion on Central Asia’s cooperation with the European Union was held on February 2nd at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Office in Brussels, Belgium. The event brought together representatives from UNDP, the European Commission, and ambassadors of Central Asian countries to the EU. The participants discussed ways to boost sustainable economic growth in the region by creating partnerships to ensure a steady supply of critical raw materials, and enhancing the efficiency of the Trans-Caspian Corridor, also known as the Middle Corridor. The participants also emphasized the importance of supporting the transition of Central Asian economies towards environmentally friendly and sustainable systems, in line with their climate commitments on emissions. Katarzyna Wawiernia, the UNDP resident representative in Kazakhstan, emphasized the significance of the Trans-Caspian Corridor and the sustainable development of the Caspian region overall. “We recommend adopting a sustainable landscape management approach for the future development of the Caspian region. In this regard, UNDP, in partnership with the Government of Kazakhstan, is planning a large-scale initiative to promote an integrated ecosystem-based approach to conserve key species and habitats of the Caspian Sea and ensure sustainable economic development for local communities. Throughout its history, the Caspian Sea has been a significant source of biological resources. They make up a single ecosystem that requires strong protection from natural and people-made factors,” Ms Wawiernia said.