Contribution of Central Asian Deserts to the Paris Climate Agreement

The development of a NAMA in Uzbekistan for the conservation and restoration of desert habitats in Central Asia started with a kick-off workshop on 29 April.

About 30 participants from politics, international organisations, scientific institutions and NGOs participated in the online workshop. NAMA (Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action) is a funding instrument under the UNFCCC. It supports partner countries in taking ambitious measures against climate change.

Renowned ecologists and politicians are involved in the NAMA development in Uzbekistan. The aim is to restorate natural Saxaul* vegetation communities of the Turanian deserts. They represent a significant carbon sink function for greenhouse gas emissions, but have been severely degraded by unsustainable use, especially grazing and firewood extraction. According to scientific studies of the University of Greifswald, only about ¼ of the Central Asian saxaul communities are still preserved.

* The Saxaul is a shrub or low tree of the steppes and deserts of Central Asia.

« Back