Ташкент стал площадкой для обсуждения будущего охраны природы в Евразии

Tashkent Hosts Regional Seminar on the Future of Nature Conservation in Eurasia

The capital of Uzbekistan has become the venue for a regional seminar dedicated to Target 3 of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This target focuses on expanding and improving protected area systems, including other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) and lands under traditional use, while ensuring respect for the rights of people living and working in these areas.

Representatives from Central Asian countries, Russia, Belarus, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, along with experts, indigenous peoples, local communities, youth initiatives, and international organizations, are participating in the seminar. Among the attendees are representatives of the "САМР Alatoo" Public Foundation.

The main objective of the seminar is to strengthen the capacity of countries and stakeholders to fulfill their commitments under Target 3 of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Organizers note that the focus is on discussing national priorities and tangible progress in their implementation. Participants will share what solutions are already effective, the challenges they face in practice, and opportunities that help advance conservation efforts. Exchanging experiences and tools already used in the region will be an important part of the dialogue.

Special attention will be given to the state of protected and conserved areas, as well as to issues of expanding their coverage and improving management quality. Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) will also be discussed during the seminar.

The program is designed to combine discussions with practical experience. For several days, participants will engage in debates and expert sessions, followed by a field visit to the Chatkal Biosphere Reserve visitor center and surrounding areas. There, they will see firsthand how conservation measures are implemented and what results have already been achieved.

By the end of the seminar, participants are expected not only to deepen their understanding of both quantitative and qualitative aspects of Target 3 but also to formulate specific national priority actions and roadmaps. The meeting will also serve as a step toward strengthening cross-border cooperation and developing harmonized approaches to biodiversity conservation in the region.

The event is organized with the support of the Secretariat of the Conventionjn Biological Diversity,  International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), NatureXpairs, the French Biodiversity Office, and the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People.