Regional Ecological Summit in Astana
From April 22–24, 2026, Regional Ecological Summit “Shared Vision for Resilient Future” (RES-2026), initiated by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, was held in Astana. The summit brought together approximately 1,500 participants from 55 Central Asian countries, the EU, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Middle East. Eighteen agencies of UN, the event’s strategic partner, organized 25 sessions and five workshops on key thematic areas related to global climate change and sustainable environmental development in Central Asian countries.
Opening the plenary session, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed a wide range of environmental issues in the Caspian region and called for consolidated efforts to preserve the Caspian Sea, ‘Protecting this water body is of great importance for maintaining ecological balance, biodiversity, and sustainable development of the region. Therefore, Kazakhstan has initiated an interstate programme to prevent further degradation of the Caspian and created the Caspian Sea Research Institute to develop regional scientific cooperation. We call on all international stakeholders to support efforts for conservation of this unique natural treasure.’ (The full text of Tokayev’s speech is on his official website).
Speaking about environmental situation in the Caspian region, Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov noted that decline in the Caspian Sea level was a serious challenge that would be solved by strengthening cooperation with the Caspian states. At the initiative of Azerbaijan, bilateral working groups had been established with Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan to research causes of the Caspian Sea shallowing and develop response measures.
Turkmenistan plans to hold a high-level meeting on environmental issues of the Caspian Sea in early October 2026. This was announced by President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov at RES-2026. The main goal of the upcoming meeting is to take cooperation between Caspian countries to a new level in protecting the sea’s ecosystem and preserving its natural resources.
One of the key outcomes of RES-2026 was adoption of the joint Declaration of the Heads of State on Regional Cooperation in the Field of Environment and Sustainable Development, as well as approval of Regional Action Programme for 2026–2030 for the Sustainable Development, which included regional initiatives and new environmental projects.
Photos: Official website of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.