Bishkek, 12 August 2026 - A shift from framework commitments to concrete joint climate action was the main outcome of the Joint Kyrgyz-Korean Workshop on Climate Cooperation with a Special Focus on Youth. Held on International Youth Day, the workshop brought together government bodies, international partners, experts and young climate leaders around the practical implementation of Kyrgyzstan's climate commitments. 

The workshop was organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Kyrgyz Republic and UNDP in Kyrgyzstan, in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic. It gathered around 60 representatives of government bodies, the Republic of Korea, international organizations and development partners, academic and research institutions, the private sector, as well as climate experts and young climate leaders. 

The meeting was the first event to launch the practical implementation of the Framework Agreement on Cooperation on Climate Change between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Korea, which entered into force on 14 May 2025. It took place as Kyrgyzstan steadily strengthens its national climate architecture — implementing its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), advancing adaptation planning through the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), enhancing its climate transparency system and expanding access to climate finance. 

The programme featured four thematic sessions: climate priorities and opportunities for Kyrgyz–Korea cooperation; climate legislation and policy in support of NDC 3.0 implementation; climate finance, carbon markets and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement; and advancing the Kyrgyz–Korea climate partnership in green energy, climate adaptation, water and forestry management, and digital innovation. 

A dedicated session — "Young Innovators Shaping Climate Solutions" — focused on the role of youth as a driving force of innovation and green transformation. Finalists of the Digital4Climate.KG Hackathon, representatives of the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY), Enactus Kyrgyzstan, the Climate Box initiative and the KOPIA programme presented youth-led climate solutions — from digital monitoring and energy efficiency to sustainable agriculture. 

"Climate and environmental challenges do not recognize state borders. An effective response to them is therefore possible only through international cooperation, knowledge exchange and joining efforts. The Kyrgyz Republic is open to further expanding its partnership with the Republic of Korea, adopting modern environmental technologies, implementing joint climate projects and preparing a new generation of sustainable development leaders," said Asel Raimkulova, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic. 

"Today we are taking an important next step — moving from agreement to practical cooperation… This is a national agenda led by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic. International partners can provide knowledge, technology and finance, but the direction of this transformation is set by the country itself," said Alexandra Solovieva, UNDP Resident Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic. 

 

"Youth are already our present. Young people today are creating technologies, launching companies, shaping public demand and offering solutions that only a few years ago were simply impossible to imagine," she added. According to her, UNDP's role is "not to replace national institutions," but to connect government policy with investment, international experience with national needs, and the ideas of young people with the means to bring them to life. 

"I am very pleased that this event was organized jointly with UNDP in Kyrgyzstan and in close cooperation with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic. I am confident that combining the mutual trust our two countries have built with UNDP's practical experience and international expertise will help turn political dialogue into implementable projects and mobilize the financial resources required. Today's meeting also demonstrates that bilateral and multilateral cooperation can work together effectively to respond jointly to the climate crisis," said Kim Kwang-jae, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Kyrgyz Republic. 

The closing session was devoted to key messages and next steps. The governments of the two countries and UNDP signalled their intention to continue cooperation in policy, finance and joint initiatives, with particular attention to youth participation. UNDP will continue to support the Kyrgyz Republic in meeting its national climate commitments, including the objectives of NDC 3.0 and the priorities of the Framework Agreement on Cooperation on Climate Change.