Kyrgyzstan has become the first country in the Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) region to join the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF). The CVF is a platform bringing together the countries most vulnerable to climate change that produce the least emissions. Together, they unite in advocacy at international negotiations, reinforce each other’s positions and set an example of ambitious climate policy.
Olga Boyko, coordinator of the Climate Action Network EECCA, commented on the decision: “We are glad that at international climate negotiations the voice of vulnerable countries is becoming louder. Kyrgyzstan has historically emitted a very small amount of greenhouse gases, yet the country’s residents are already exposed to the consequences of the climate crisis. The glaciers, from which vital water flows, are melting. Pastures and agricultural land are suffering from droughts and fires. We at CAN EECCA are very glad that the government of Kyrgyzstan is seeking strong allies to fight the climate crisis and is responding to the demands of the public.”
On October 19, 2022, Beksultan Ibraimov, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision, recorded a video address stating Kyrgyzstan’s readiness to join the platform. “Kyrgyzstan updated its NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) last year. We are committed to reducing our emissions by 44% by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 with the active support of our international partners. The Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic expresses its respect and deep gratitude to the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) Secretariat for the assistance provided in the country’s efforts to adapt to climate change. Confirming a high level of interest, the functions of the National Focal Point of the Kyrgyz Republic will be assigned at the deputy minister level. The Director of the Climate Finance Center will serve as an Additional Focal Point of the Kyrgyz Republic for interaction with the CVF. The Ministry is also reviewing the results of regional consultations held in September of this year and generally agrees with the CVF’s ‘Accra-Marrakech Communiqué’.”
For several years, we at the Climate Action Network, together with network members, have been trying to invite the most vulnerable countries of our region into the CVF. At COP26 in Glasgow, together with our network member, the BIOM organization, we organized a meeting between Kyrgyzstan’s delegation and the CVF secretariat. Anna Kirilenko, Executive Director of the BIOM environmental public organization, commented on this news: “Kyrgyzstan’s membership in the Climate Vulnerable Forum is, on the one hand, a strengthening of the country’s position at the international level, and on the other hand, an opportunity to build capacity and attract various kinds of resources into the country. By becoming part of the Forum, we declared that we recognize the full seriousness of the climate agenda for society as a whole and are ready to work together with other countries to overcome challenges. The Forum is one manifestation of South-South partnership, and by joining it we gain access to research, materials, technologies and positive practices of other countries for adapting to climate change, and we integrate into the process of developing international solutions needed specifically for countries like ours — the most vulnerable ones. The main thing now is to use the opportunities opening up before us, rather than putting them off ‘for later’.”
