Uzbekistan proposes ‘5+5’ climate finance dialogue for Central Asia at COP31

Antalya, Nov 11: Uzbekistan has proposed establishing a Central Asian Climate Finance Dialogue in a “5+5” format, bringing together five Central Asian countries and five international climate funds to coordinate investments and strengthen regional climate resilience.

The proposal was presented at a high-level dialogue, titled “Multilateral Climate Funds: Working together to Scale Up Access to Finance and Enhance Effectiveness”, held during the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) here in Türkiye.

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The meeting brought together the heads of five major international climate funds including the Adaptation Fund (AF), Climate Investment Funds (CIF), Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Green Climate Fund (GCF) along with representatives of donor and recipient countries.

Discussions focused on improving access to climate finance, coordinating investment priorities and enhancing the effectiveness of funded projects.

Addressing the gathering, Aziz Abdukhakimov, Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan on Environmental Issues and Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, said the effectiveness of climate finance depended not only on the volume of funding mobilised but also on coordinated investments addressing interconnected environmental challenges.

He said Uzbekistan was pursuing initiatives to strengthen climate resilience, restore ecosystems, address environmental challenges in the Aral Sea region and promote regional cooperation. The country had established partnerships with the GEF, GCF and Adaptation Fund and was expanding cooperation with the other two funds.

Under the proposed “5+5” mechanism, the five Central Asian countries would work with the five international funds to align investment priorities, coordinate project portfolios and avoid duplication of financial support. Each fund would contribute according to its mandate and available financial instruments.

The Aral Sea region was cited as an example of the need for coordinated investment in early warning systems, water-efficient agriculture, ecosystem restoration, climate-resilient infrastructure and sustainable livelihoods for local communities. Uzbekistan offered to host the dialogue’s inaugural meeting in Tashkent in 2027.

The second initiative seeks to integrate climate information and early warning systems into long-term investment planning and sustainable development.

Aziz Abdukhakimov said climate data and forecasts relating to water availability, droughts, extreme heat, glacier retreat and sand and dust storms should inform decisions on agriculture, irrigation, infrastructure, renewable energy and ecosystem restoration.

The proposed approach would link climate information and early warning systems with risk-informed planning and targeted investments to strengthen resilience.

The five funds could support different stages of this process through their respective financial instruments, in cooperation with scientific organisations, including the World Meteorological Organization.

Uzbekistan called on the international funds to develop a coordinated regional investment approach and launch pilot projects in areas most vulnerable to climate change.

It said the effectiveness of climate finance should be measured not only by the number of projects approved or the amount of funding mobilised, but also by tangible results, including water conservation, land restoration, improved livelihoods and stronger community resilience.