National Climate Change Strategy of Turkmenistan.

This National Climate Change Strategy is a sectoral nationwide document, under the umbrella of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, aiming to lay out in Turkmenistan the policy framework for building climate resilience and a low-emission economy, considered as a prerequisite condition for the sustainable social and economic development. The Strategy follows a twin-track approach in facing climate change issues, facilitating and strengthening the country’s growth rate trends while being a catalyst for modernization, diversification and fortification in all economic sectors, to increasing the country’s profile on the global markets, and improving its competitive capacity through upgrading technology and energy effectiveness.
The overall goal of the Strategy is to ensure sustainable development of Turkmenistan, through which effects of climate change can be mitigated whilst still engendering the country’s economic and social growth. To achieve the goal, key objectives are (i) the identification and assessment of threats to development and security caused by climate change including threats to economy, infrastructure, water management, public life and health; and (ii) ensuring reasonable prudence in planning and implementation of measures to protect the country from adverse effects of climate change. Priority sectors for climate change adaptation efforts include (1) public health; (2) agriculture and water management; (3) Caspian coastal zone; and (4) natural ecosystems. Instruments and measures on limitation of greenhouse gas emissions will be taken in the following priority areas (i) energy efficiency, as well as energy and resource savings; (ii) alternative sources of energy; (iii) technological modernization; and (iv) energy security and diversification of economy.
To make agriculture and forestry more sustainable and productive, the Strategy includes (i) specialization of agricultural production and breeding of drought-resistant and salt-resistant crops; (ii) modernization of irrigation methods; (iii) introduction and strict observance of rotational pasture use, the formation of pasture protection belts; (iv) development of pasture farming; (v) introduction of methods and practices allowing to harvest crops several times a year; (vi) combat soil salinization, pasture degradation and desertification of territories; and (vii) enhancing the economic potential of protected areas through implementing reforms in the protected areas system, expanding the total surface area of protected spaces, together with development of national parks.
In order to increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the document proposes a number of interventions in different sectors, among others (i) support to research works and testing of renewable and alternative energy technologies and adaptation of these technologies to climatic conditions of Turkmenistan; (ii) reduce greenhouse gases emissions in the oil and gas sector production cycles introducing modern methods to control polluting substance emissions; (iii) enhance monitoring of domestic natural gas consumption; (iv) optimize transport sector performance to reduce climate pressure and protect air quality in urban and other densely populated areas; (v) reduce greenhouse emissions in the waste management sector introducing waste sorting and disposal systems, waste recycling technologies, and purification and recycling of waste water; (vi) control over the engineering projects under construction which deplete productive soil layer to adapt land and soil resources to climate change; (vii) develop measures for adapting the public health sector to climate change, as well as preventive programs to reduce the adverse effects of climate change; (viii) improving climate monitoring systems to monitor hazardous weather phenomena and improving early warning systems.