Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have requested US$20 million from the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) to address the effects of climate change in Central Asia, the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change of Uzbekistan said.
Around 75% of the funding is expected to go directly towards supporting local communities.
The financing request was discussed at a meeting between Aziz Abdukhakimov, presidential adviser and chairman of Uzbekistan's National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change, and Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, executive director of the FRLD.
The talks took place on the sidelines of the COP31 climate conference.
The three countries prepared a regional application titled "Integrated Response to Climate Loss and Damage in Central Asia" (BIM-FR-34) with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Uzbekistan's component of the project is valued at US$5.1 million. It covers 40 vulnerable communities in Syrdarya, Surkhandarya, Kashkadarya and Bukhara regions.
The project предусматривает establishing at least six monitoring stations for dust and sandstorms and developing a national early warning system. It also plans to establish protective forest belts covering at least 60 kilometres, restore degraded land and pastures, and support alternative income sources for local residents.
Uzbekistan said it had addressed comments from the Fund's secretariat on application BIM-FR-34 and resubmitted the revised document. The authorities expect the technical assessment to be completed and the application to be considered by the Fund's Board in December 2026.
The meeting also addressed climate threats facing Central Asia, including the shrinking Aral Sea, land degradation, desertification, dust and salt storms, and glacier retreat.
Data presented during the talks showed that the volume of glaciers in Central Asia had declined by 30% over the past 50 years, creating additional risks to the region's water security.
Uzbekistan also proposed establishing a regional centre focused on climate-related loss and damage caused by slow-onset climate processes. The centre could be based at the regional centre of Green University, which has 15 laboratories.
The proposed centre would develop methodologies for assessing climate damage, facilitate regional data exchange and train specialists. It would also help Central Asian countries prepare projects to attract international funding.
The parties discussed using FRLD support mechanisms, including the Country Support System, to establish a national system for tracking loss and damage.
At the end of the meeting, Ibrahima Cheikh Diong was invited to visit Central Asia and the Aral Sea region in 2027 to see the consequences of the Aral Sea environmental disaster.
He was also invited to attend Eco Expo Central Asia 2027, scheduled for 15–17 June in Tashkent as part of the Tashkent International Investment Forum.
The parties expressed interest in further cooperation to attract funding for addressing climate risks and supporting the region's most vulnerable communities.
