The official launch of the national consultations Stockholm+50 in Kyrgyzstan took place with the support of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic and UNDP in Kyrgyzstan. The event was attended by the Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic, the UNDP Resident Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as representatives of civil society organizations, academia, business, the media, the expert community, representatives of ministries, departments and international organizations.

The Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was made in 1972 in Stockholm, Sweden, resulting in what is often seen as the first step toward the development of international environmental law, recognizing the importance of a healthy environment for people, and creating the UN Environment Programme. Five decades after the 1972 Stockholm Conference, the Government of Sweden, with support from the Government of Kenya, will host “Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity” during the week of World Environment Day in Stockholm on 2 and 3 of June 2022, where the outcomes of the national consultations will be forwarded to.

The Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic, Dinara Kutmanova, noted the importance of the event on the eve of the international conference Stockholm+50 and noted: "At the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow, the Kyrgyz Republic was the only Central Asian country represented at the highest level, and the President of the Kyrgyz Republic proposed to create a special fund under the auspices of the UN for the implementation of targeted climate change adaptation programs with an emphasis on the conservation of glaciers, forests and biodiversity, increasing preparedness for natural disasters, socio-economic support mountain communities, especially women and children. Kyrgyzstan, having joined the world community, is taking all possible measures to achieve sustainable development, an important condition for which is to establish and maintain a balance between economic development and environmental conservation.”

UNDP has been asked to facilitate national consultations leveraging existing in-country programming and partnerships including through its support to Nationally Determined Contributions processes (e.g., UNDP’s Climate Promise) and broader work on Nature, Climate, Energy, and other integrated SDG themes.

“We are reaching a tipping point, where the triple crisis of climate disruption, biodiversity loss and pollution are destroying our planet. The choices we make, or fail to make today, could result in further breakdown or – with our efforts – a breakthrough, towards a greener, better, safer future!” said Louise Chamberlain, UNDP Resident Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Stockholm+50 will include four plenary sessions, three leadership dialogues and a closing segment to develop clear and concrete recommendations for action at all levels The leadership dialogues will be designed to be collaborative and multi-stakeholder with a focus on recommendations that contribute to the environmental dimension of sustainable development to accelerate the implementation of commitments in the context of the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development, including a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. They will address the following themes:

Leadership Dialogue 1: Reflecting on the urgent need for actions to achieve a healthy planet and prosperity of all;

Leadership Dialogue 2: Achieving a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic;

Leadership Dialogue 3: Accelerating the implementation of the environmental dimension of Sustainable Development in the context of the Decade of Action.

In order to stimulate an inclusive dialogue involving the whole of society and government as part of the preparation of Kyrgyzstan for the Stockholm+50 conference, national consultations will cover the key topics of the Stockholm+50 dialogues and conduct a series of focus groups with various stakeholder groups, discuss key themes among young people through the launch of the "Youth Caravan" in all regions of the country. The consultations will provide platforms for the exchange of ideas, vision and innovative approaches in both physical and virtual meetings. The results of the consultations will be forwarded to the Stockholm+50 international meeting in the form of national reports and a global synthesis report that will compile key findings, recommendations, data, media coverage and links to national policy frameworks such as NDCs, NAPs, NBSAPs, green recovery and industry strategies.

international platform at which it was announced that measures would be included in the action program at the government level to address pressing environmental problems and environmental issues, the establishment of World Environment Day – on June 5, the Declaration of the UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm Declaration) and the Plan of Action for the Protection of the Human Environment were adopted. The Conference recognized human rights to "freedom, equality and adequate living conditions in the environment". During the event, experts stressed that if the destruction of natural ecosystems continues, climate resilience will be irreversibly lost. In December 1998, the UN General Assembly, in its resolution 43/53, explicitly stated that climate change is regarded as a common concern of mankind.

The international meeting "Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all - our responsibility, our opportunity" is an important milestone on the path to the revival of multilateralism and the strengthening of global solidarity. The time has come for decisive action and engagement, which requires recognizing and emphasizing the need for international unity, reciprocity and diversity. It is time for all participants to find their unique place in the global system, in collaboration with others, to embrace new ideas and to take joint responsibility for a better future in a healthy planet that prospers for all.

All relevant stakeholders – including organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, and other interested international bodies and non- governmental organizations, civil society organizations, indigenous peoples’ organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community, the youth, the private sector and philanthropic organizations are invited to contribute to the discussions of the international meeting and their preparation on the global SparkBlue platform.

For more information about the international conference "Stockholm+50": https://bit.ly/3rpbUaq