Ashgabat, May 15 | ORIENT. The key message about the important and growing role of the press in the regional climate dialogue was highlighted and emphasized at the 7th Central Asian Conference on Climate Change (CACCC-2025) held in Ashgabat. In his speech, Bekdurdy Amansaryev, Director of the Media Turkmen Information Agency and Editor-in-Chief of the ORIENT website, who was invited to speak at the forum’s closing ceremony, noted that the Central Asian journalistic community is ready to become an active and full-fledged participant in this dialogue, acting as a bridge between science, politics and society, and conveying the most complex climate issues to a wider audience.

The final session, moderated by Vladimir Grebnev, CAREC Regional Climate Change Specialist, brought together representatives of the Government of Turkmenistan (Minister of Environment Charygeldi Babaniyazov), the World Bank (Regional Environment Manager Sanjay Srivastava), GIZ (Regional Programme Director Sergey Makarov) and civil society (Coordinator of the Regional Climate Network of Civil Society Organizations Svetlana Mogilyuk) to sum up the results of the conference, providing a platform for reflecting on the results of the conference and identifying further steps.

Presenting the journalistic community's view on the results and objectives of the climate agenda in Central Asia, Bekdurdy Amansaryev noted that it was a great honor and special responsibility for him and his colleagues from the countries of the region to become part of CACCC-2025. He thanked the organizers for the opportunity to take part in summing up the results of such a significant forum.

Throughout the conference, journalists were not just listeners or outside observers. They were those who sought to understand, rethink and then convey the most complex information regarding the future of Central Asia and the entire planet. During the forum, many figures, assessments and plans were voiced; achievements of national strategies and ambitions within the framework of NDC 3.0 were presented; ways to mobilize climate financing were discussed. The voices of experts, scientists, politicians, representatives of international organizations and civil society were heard, each of whom shared their experience, concerns and hopes.

Speaking about what the press saw and heard, Amansaryev said that it was not just a sequence of sessions, but a living pulse of regional dialogue, sometimes difficult, but vital. He emphasized that behind the official statements, journalists saw echoes of real problems that countries in the region face every day: the consequences of the drying up of the Aral Sea, the challenges of effective water management, the fight against desertification, the melting of glaciers and the threats associated with it.

For journalists, the climate agenda is not an abstraction. These are specific reports on the implementation of important hydrotechnical projects, stories of farmers mastering new methods, analysis of data on the state of air and water and their impact on human health. Ultimately, this is an attempt to show the human aspect of climate change.

The key role of the press in the climate process is the function of a bridge:

Between science and society - translating complex data and forecasts into understandable language.

Between politics and citizens – that is, explaining the meaning of national strategies and international commitments (Paris Agreement, Global Methane Commitment) and their impact on everyday life.

Between global and local – demonstrating how decisions made at the international level (in Bonn, Paris) or here in Ashgabat affect the fate of a specific village or city in Central Asia.

It was particularly emphasized that it is in the Central Asian region that the role of the press in the climate dialogue is of particular importance, since the challenges here are particularly acute and their consequences are transboundary, requiring coordinated regional cooperation.

The Central Asian journalistic community, as the head of ORIENT stated, sees the need and potential for such cooperation. The task of the press is not just to talk about conferences, but also to constantly return to these topics, monitor the implementation of agreements, give the floor to experts, scientists, and businessmen.

For this, journalists themselves need deep knowledge, relevant and reliable information, and a willingness to engage in dialogue with the scientific and expert community. Forums like CACIC-2025 are invaluable sources of knowledge, contacts, and new topics.

In the final part of his speech, Amansaryev noted that although the conference participants made important decisions and outlined ways to implement them, the work on informing society is just beginning. Now the task of the press is to ensure that these ideas and plans are heard, understood, and supported by every resident of Central Asia, so that people see the meaning that concerns their lives behind the dry numbers.

Comparing the climate agenda to a long marathon rather than a short sprint, the speaker expressed confidence that the Central Asian journalistic community is ready to run this marathon together with the participants in the climate process, step by step illuminating the path to a sustainable future.

The speech ended with the message: "Central Asia is talking about climate - and the press is ready to be the voice of this dialogue!"

These days have become more than just a time for discussions. These were days of strengthening solidarity, when common approaches and possible solutions were born from meaningful discussions. Climate challenges do not recognize state borders. Droughts, floods, land degradation, reduction of water resources - all this already affects the lives of millions of people. And only through systemic, long-term and open cooperation will we be able to give these challenges a worthy response, - the new Executive Director of CAREC Batyr Mamedov summed up the work of the CACCC-2025 forum. According to him, the end of the conference is a starting point in the implementation of the ideas and proposals expressed here, national strategies, specific solutions and assistance on the ground.

ORIENT will continue to monitor developments and inform our readers about the steps taken by the region towards climate resilience.