The EU-funded SWITCH-Asia programme is intensifying its support for climate action in Central Asia through a focus on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) and Circular Economy (CE), as it prepares to play a leading role at the upcoming Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC 2025), taking place from 13-15 May in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
This high-level regional forum will bring together over 200 participants—including government officials, development partners, international experts, and civil society—to discuss strategies for achieving the global climate finance goal and scaling up action in alignment with COP29 outcomes and the preparation of NDC 3.0.
Driving Green Growth through SCP and Circular Economy Integration
As part of its Technical Advisory (TA) initiative, SWITCH-Asia is working with all five Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—to integrate SCP and CE approaches into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS). This effort supports countries in transitioning toward low-carbon, resource-efficient economies while strengthening their climate commitments.
Through in-depth policy assessments and stakeholder consultations, SWITCH-Asia is identifying practical ways to align climate action with material resource efficiency, enabling countries to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation. The TA initiative also supports national and regional dialogues, provides on-demand technical assistance, and facilitates knowledge exchange across the region.
In addition to organizing a dedicated side event, SWITCH-Asia experts will feature prominently throughout CACCC 2025 as moderators and speakers across several strategic sessions. Ranga Pallawala, Expert on Climate Change and SCP, will moderate a high-level session on “Innovative Technologies to Accelerate and Strengthen NDC Implementation” on 13 May, from 16:30 to 18:00. This session will showcase tools and technologies that can boost climate action and accelerate progress toward NDC 3.0 in Central Asia.
SWITCH-Asia experts from across the region will also speak at various technical panels, sharing experiences from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and others on the integration of SCP and CE in national policies and strategies.
SWITCH-Asia Side Event: Linking Circular Economy and SCP to Climate Finance
On 14 May, SWITCH-Asia will lead the parallel session 3.3 titled: Leveraging Climate Ambition and Green Economy Transition with Material Resource and Climate Change Linkage (14:00–15:30). The session will provide a platform for sharing case studies, policy innovations, and collaborative approaches to embed CE and SCP into climate policies and green economy roadmaps.
Speakers will include:
- Dr. Zinaida Fadeeva, Team Leader, SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component
- Ranga Pallawala, Climate Change Policy Expert, SWITCH-Asia
- Experts and policymakers from Central Asian countries
- Representatives from the NDC Partnership and the EU Delegation to Turkmenistan
The session will also identify pathways to climate finance by linking material resource efficiency with broader NDC and LT-LEDS implementation strategies.
Strengthening Regional Dialogue and Technical Support
Beyond these flagship engagements, SWITCH-Asia will leverage the CACCC 2025 platform for strategic consultations with national and regional stakeholders. These interactions will focus on identifying sector-specific SCP and CE priorities, coordinating technical assistance, and fostering regional cooperation under the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for Central Asia.
SWITCH-Asia’s active involvement at CACCC 2025 reflects the EU’s commitment to enabling sustainable and inclusive development across the region. By embedding Circular Economy and Sustainable Consumption and Production principles into climate policy frameworks, the programme is helping Central Asian countries elevate their climate ambition and implementation capacity—ensuring their transition toward greener, more resilient economies is both inclusive and achievable.
