A round table on “Land Degradation and Climate Change: Losses, Damages and Opportunities for Strengthening Cooperation between Central Asia, the Caucasus and Arid Climate Regions” was held within the framework of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29).

The event, which took place in the “Blue Zone”, was attended by Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan Aziz Abduhakimov, heads of relevant agencies of both countries, representatives of international organizations and experts.

Opening the event with an introductory speech, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan Aziz Abduhakimov said that, like the rest of the world, Central Asia and the Caucasus region are also facing the problems of rapid climate change and land degradation. The increasing frequency and intensity of drought, desertification and other extreme climate events are increasing threats to agriculture, water resources and biodiversity. Against the backdrop of modern challenges, it has become necessary to strengthen cooperation between the countries of the world at the regional and global levels to minimize the impacts of climate change and ensure sustainable development.

Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov noted that the degradation of approximately 40% of the world's land resources poses a global crisis, threatening ecosystems, food security and water resources. In recent decades, unsustainable agricultural practices, deforestation, urban expansion and the increasing impacts of climate change have accelerated the process of land degradation around the world. According to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), it is estimated that 12 million hectares of land are lost to degradation every year. The Minister drew attention to the need for cooperation in the areas of digital transformation of agriculture, technology transfer in this field, and sharing of best practices in order to achieve sustainable development against the backdrop of modern challenges. He added that the use of modern technologies is expanding in order to reduce the negative impacts of climate change on the agricultural sector, to use existing land and water resources more efficiently, and support is being provided for the development of climate-friendly agricultural systems. State support is provided to farmers in the form of concessions and loans in activities related to the introduction of modern irrigation systems, prevention of land degradation, and increasing soil fertility.

Speaking at the event, Antonella Bassani, Vice President of the World Bank for Europe and Central Asia, representatives of Kazakhstan, Belarus, and other countries touched upon issues of regional cooperation in identifying the main risks and threats to agriculture and water resources, the current situation with land degradation and climate change, the efficient use of land and water resources against the backdrop of modern challenges, the application of resource-saving approaches, environmental protection and the formation of sustainable farming traditions, and the development of adaptive strategies that take into account local climate and economic conditions.

As part of the event, a video clip was shown on the measures taken to eliminate the ecological disaster and combat land degradation in the Aral Sea basin region.