ECO countries to strengthen cooperation on environmental issues
Within the framework of the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 (hereinafter – RES), which will take place in Astana on 22–24 April, the first meeting of the High-Level Dialogue Platform of the Economic Cooperation Organization (hereinafter – ECO) on environmental cooperation will be held. The meeting will serve as a starting point for establishing a sustainable mechanism for regional interaction in the environmental sphere.
The event will take place on 23 April with the participation of ministers and high-level representatives of the countries of the region, as well as international organizations.
At present, the ECO region faces a number of common transboundary environmental challenges. These include increasing levels of air, soil, and water pollution, accelerated biodiversity loss, land degradation and desertification, as well as the growing impact of climate change. Taken together, these challenges pose significant risks to public health, undermine ecosystem integrity, and threaten the long-term sustainable economic development, stability, and resilience of ECO member states.
In this context, the launch of the Dialogue Platform is intended to ensure regular and structured exchange of views among member states and international partners, as well as to enhance coordination of efforts in environmental policy.
The objective of the meeting is to officially launch the Dialogue Platform as a permanent forum for regional consultations, facilitate the exchange of national approaches to addressing environmental challenges, and identify priority areas for further cooperation. During the meeting, participants will also discuss a draft Roadmap aimed at synchronizing the efforts of the countries of the region within the framework of the ECO environmental agenda.
The launch of the Dialogue Platform will represent an important step towards strengthening regional cooperation, enhancing the effectiveness of environmental policy, and ensuring a coordinated response to climate and environmental challenges across the ECO region.
