CAREC and the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Turkmenistan Discuss Expansion of Environmental Cooperation


On September 22, Ashgabat hosted a working meeting between Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the Project Office of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) in Turkmenistan, and H.E. Gismet Gozalov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Turkmenistan.
The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral and regional cooperation in environmental protection, adaptation to climate change, as well as the preservation of the unique ecosystem of the Caspian Sea.
During the talks, the importance of developing environmental dialogue in the promising “Central Asia + Azerbaijan” format was emphasized. The participants discussed key areas of joint work, including the conservation of Caspian biodiversity, effective water resources management, combating land degradation, introducing green technologies, and engaging young people in the climate agenda.
A separate focus of the negotiations was the issue of reducing methane emissions. It was noted that an international conference dedicated to practical solutions and technologies for reducing methane emissions is scheduled to be held in the Turkmen capital on October 29–30, 2026, with the support of the CAREC Project Office.
Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their readiness to regularly hold joint expert meetings, round tables and specialized forums in Ashgabat and Baku to address common environmental challenges in the Caspian region in a systematic manner.
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