ASTANA - President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for fair, practical and implementation-oriented climate cooperation. He stressed that environmental protection is a shared responsibility and a strategic priority for maintaining global stability. He made the remarks at the Regional Ecological Summit (RES) 2026, which brought together leaders from Central Asia and other countries in the region in Astana.

Opening the plenary on Earth Day, Tokayev said Central Asia is moving towards a more unified approach that links climate, water and environmental security issues into one regional agenda. At the same time, he pointed out that global insecurity and environmental risks are already negatively impacting millions of people and stressed the importance of multilateral institutions and international law. „We are facing a time of increasing uncertainty and unpredictability. There is no need to explain in detail how deeply and negatively these phenomena impact global and regional stability and the quality of life of millions of people,“ he said. He added that the UN Charter must remain the foundation of global governance.

The President of Kazakhstan also stressed that climate policy must be fair and balanced. He warned against the uneven shifting of the burden to developing countries and the politicisation of environmental cooperation. „The global transition to cleaner models must be fair, balanced and motivating. Environmental cooperation must serve as a reliable instrument of unity and not divide us. It must be based on partnership, trust and shared responsibility - without public labelling of culprits, without shaming and without blame. Nature can exist without geopolitics, while geopolitics cannot exist without nature,“ Tokayev said.

In his speech, he also highlighted the main environmental threats facing the region. He identified water scarcity, melting glaciers, desertification and biodiversity loss as key issues. He stressed that these challenges require coordinated action by all Central Asian states and that the summit must deliver concrete results. „The time of merely stating achievements is over. The time has come to adopt solutions,“ he said.

Tokayev further stressed that protecting the planet is not only an ecological task, but also a moral duty and a strategic necessity.
„This summit reminds us that protecting our planet is a shared responsibility of all humanity. It is about the future of humanity and the next generation. It is not only an ecological task, but also a high moral duty. It is an economic necessity. It is also a strategic priority for the preservation of peace and stability,“ the President said.

(per) gnews.cz - GH