During the plenary session “Harmony with Nature for the Benefit of Sustainable Development of the Region,” Aziz Abdukhakimov presented Uzbekistan’s strategic approaches to biodiversity conservation. It was emphasized that, at the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, long-term priorities have been defined in this area, including the development of the “Red Book of Central Asia” as a practical mechanism for regional cooperation. Particular attention was given to the implementation of the “Bionasledie” project, joint measures by Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to restore the saiga population, and the preparation of a new National Biodiversity Strategy through 2040 within the framework of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The session concluded with the signing of a Regional Declaration on Cooperation, reaffirming the commitment of Central Asian countries to deepen collaboration in biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resource management.

At the high-level session “Environmental Partnership between the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and United Nations Environment Programme: Joint Actions for a Sustainable Future of the Region,” participants underscored the need to consolidate efforts in addressing climate change, environmental pollution, land degradation, water scarcity and biodiversity loss. The meeting confirmed commitment to implementing the Memorandum of Understanding between the SCO Secretariat and UNEP, and initiated the development of a concrete joint action plan aimed at advancing the green economy and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

During the high-level plenary session “Scaling Up the Circular Economy: Regional Cooperation for Resource Efficiency,” it was noted that environmental policy is becoming a critical component of economic resilience, governance quality, and strategic security. A key outcome was the endorsement of an initiative to develop a regional partnership framework on the circular economy in Central Asia, laying the groundwork for a regional alliance on resource efficiency.
Within the session “Climate Investment Pathways in Central Asia,” the Uzbek side highlighted the transboundary nature of climate challenges, including land degradation, desertification, drought and air pollution. 

Participants confirmed that a key priority for the region remains the transformation of climate commitments into investment-ready and bankable programmes.
A significant diplomatic outcome was the First Meeting of the High-Level Dialogue Platform of the Economic Cooperation Organization on environmental protection. Aziz Abdukhakimov emphasized the need to move from dialogue to practical action, recalling that the initiative to establish this platform had been put forward by Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 15th ECO Summit. Priority proposals include the establishment of a regional environmental monitoring system, enhancement of air quality monitoring and the launch of an early warning mechanism for environmental risks.

At the session dedicated to access to international financing for mountain regions, recommendations were developed to recognize mountainous areas as priority zones for climate investment. This created a foundation for advancing mechanisms of direct financial and technological support for these regions.