During the extended meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on July 8 this year, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov placed special emphasis on the need to take further steps to promote the environmental initiatives of Turkmenistan and develop effective cooperation in this area with foreign partners.

This vector is designated as one of the key aspects of the foreign policy of the Turkmen state. Being an active participant in the international dialogue in this topical area, our country is in favor of deepening and expanding positive cooperation with all interested parties, primarily in the format of the United Nations.

Successfully implemented in the modern era, the national strategy in this area is in harmony with the Sustainable Development Goals of the Community of Nations and the priorities for protecting the planet's ecosystems.

A vivid example of this is the ratified UN environmental documents on biological diversity, combating desertification, climate change, protecting the ozone layer, protecting and using transboundary watercourses and international lakes, protecting the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage, as well as the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment Caspian Sea and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and dozens of projects implemented jointly with the UN Development Program, the UN Environment Program, the Global Environment Facility.

In accordance with the requirements of the time and generally recognized international standards, national legislation is constantly being improved. In recent years, the “Forest Code”, the Laws “On Nature Protection”, “On Specially Protected Natural Territories”, “On the Protection of the Ozone Layer”, “On fishing and conservation of aquatic biological resources”, “On the flora”, “On the animal world”, etc., have been adopted.

Huge work in the field of nature protection, conservation of biological diversity and natural landscapes is carried out within the framework of the approved National Climate Change Strategy and the National Forest Program of Turkmenistan, as well as other large-scale socio-economic programs.

The head of state approved the Concept, which outlines specific steps to increase regional cooperation through our country's initiatives on environmental issues, which include new areas.

Turkmenistan is actively building up productive cooperation with all interested partners to address such important issues as improving the environment of the Aral Sea region and adapting to climate change. When implementing projects in this area, our country seeks to use the existing solid experience and creative potential for the common good.

One of the priorities of the environmental strategy of the Turkmen state is the creation of a reliable system of environmental protection of the Caspian Sea, primarily due to its special status.

In recent years, Turkmenistan has been actively working in this direction at the national level, offering new approaches to solving existing and preventing possible environmental problems in the Caspian Sea in close cooperation with its neighbors and partners, as well as with authoritative organizations, primarily with the United Nations.

This is evidenced by the Sixth Caspian Summit at the end of July this year, where ecology, nature protection, conservation of the Caspian bioresources became important topics for discussion, mechanisms for cooperation were created, and the task was set to make this work more coordinated and substantive.

Turkmenistan, for its part, in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, solves all the tasks of ensuring the ecological balance of the Caspian Sea and protecting the environment. This is confirmed by the construction of modern health resorts, hotels and industrial enterprises on the Khazar coast, one of the main criteria is their compliance with international environmental safety standards.

As examples, it is worth noting the International Seaport in the city of Turkmenbashi, the Garabogazkarbamid plant, the polymer plant in the Kiyanly village and a number of other complexes marked with certificates from authoritative organizations certifying the safety of these facilities for the environment.

Large-scale landscaping work also contributes to the achievement of this goal, as a result of which man-made evergreen forests are formed, new park areas are laid out, and a microclimate is created that has a beneficial effect on the health of the population and vacationers in the NTZ Avaza.

Also, special attention is paid to the preservation of the unique ecosystem of the reservoir, which has no analogues on the planet. In this regard, effective channels of “green diplomacy” for the Caspian Sea are being established with the involvement of other countries, international agencies, environmental centers and the media in this activity.

The engineering and technical developments of the new generation include the combined cycle power plant in Mary, the innovativeness, economic efficiency and environmental safety of which is confirmed by certificates from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, the Max Plank Energy Institute, and the American Foundation for a Healthy Ecology.

Having vast experience in successful agriculture and water management in the arid zone, our country is at the forefront of scientific research in this area, calling on other states to take an equally prudent attitude to water resources. In this context, it is important to note the importance of the implementation of the Altyn asyr Turkmen Lake construction project.

The project for the construction of a social and industrial complex in the town of Ak Yayla in the region of the Turkmen Lake “Altyn asyr” also meets the “green” principles of the formation of living space.

In continuation of the topic, the importance of the Concept for the development of the lake region in 2019–2025 and the Action Plan for its implementation should be noted. According to the documents, it is planned to carry out a number of works on the rational use of the Turkmen Lake, the development of the Karakum Desert, the creation of forest zones, the expansion of pasture areas, the construction of new villages in the surrounding area and along water collectors.

The head of state emphasizes the importance of accelerating measures aimed at the successful implementation of the program to further improve the ecological state of the Karakum Desert.

Thanks to the special attention of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to the issues of popularizing the unique protected areas of the Karakum Desert in the world, work is underway in the country to include them in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The reserves and sanctuaries currently operating on the territory of Turkmenistan, which have preserved vivid evidence of the evolution of nature, the geological development of our planet, are the historical homeland of many rare species of flora and fauna that are of exceptional value for ensuring ecological balance and sustainable development.

The main task of these objects is to maintain biological diversity and study the genetic fund of the animal and plant world, unique landscapes, as well as the formation of conditions for ensuring the natural course of natural processes and phenomena.

One of the examples of recognition at the international level of the merits of our Motherland in this area was the inclusion in the Guinness Book of Records of the largest lesson on ecology, which took place on August 8, 2019 in the city of Turkmenbashi.

All large-scale events clearly demonstrate the constructiveness and far-sightedness of the policy pursued by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in this area, thanks to which the effective steps taken to protect and increase the wealth and diversity of the environment are a guarantee of the prosperity of the Fatherland.

Preservation of the unique nature of the Turkmen land, rational use of water, land and biological resources, reduction of air pollution - all this in general is intended to contribute to the protection of public health. In the creation of parks, green areas and arrays, the primordial traditions of our people to live in harmony with nature are embodied.