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23.05.2025

10:30–12:00

Tavrichesky Palace, hall 16

Interstate events Broadcast

UNESCO: Preserving and Multiplying World Heritage

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

World Heritage Site status provides countries with additional tools for their conservation efforts and access to global experience on how to manage such sites. UNESCO World Heritage Sites are important sites that attract thousands of tourists every year, contributing to the development of ecotourism. What’s more, transboundary cooperation on nature and cultural conservation in specially protected natural areas contributes to the sustainable development of local communities and facilitates cultural exchange. In this context, transboundary sites and UNESCO biosphere reserves initiate and host practical programmes and projects of environmental and humanitarian cooperation. The management of transboundary sites requires a responsible and careful attitude on the part of all countries in whose territory these sites are located, so maintaining the security regime at transboundary sites poses certain challenges in terms of interacting with foreign partners. Representatives of the executive authorities, nature reserves in Russia and other countries, and members of the UNESCO expert community have been invited to discuss: the significance of World Heritage Site status, what it is, and what UNESCO cooperation entails besides prestige and special protection; why it’s important to support collaboration of this kind; how UNESCO contributes to the conservation of biodiversity; and the particular challenges facing transboundary site management and how it’s organized to deal with foreign partners.

Moderator:

Oliver Avramoski — Regional Director, IUCN Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Panellists:

Alexander Alimov — Secretary General of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO

Zeneemyadar Batbayar — Head of National Water Agency of Mongolia

Denis Butsayev — Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

Anastasia Zhdanova — Director of Sustainability Projects, En+ Group

Alexander Zateev — Director, Katunsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve

Anatoly Kalina — Director, Curonian Spit National Park

Irina Makanova — Director of the Department of State Policy and Regulation in the Development of Specially Protected Natural Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

Sergey Maslyak — Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus

Vyacheslav Fetisov — First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Ecology, Natural Resources and Environment Protection; Chairman, Russian Society for Nature Conservation (VOOP)

Alexey Cherepitsyn — Director, Daursky Nature Reserve

23.05.2025

10:30–12:00

Tavrichesky Palace, Reading Room

Interstate events Broadcast

Prospects for Russian – Central Asian Cooperation in Water Sector and Combatting Water Shortages

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

In recent decades, Central Asian countries have faced serious challenges due to water shortages in the region. The economies of these countries depend on water resources from major transboundary rivers, such as the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, which are the main sources of water for economic use, including irrigation, water supply, and power generation. Climate change, including melting glaciers and changes in precipitation patterns, are diminishing the region’s water resources and increasing the risks of droughts and floods. It is crucial to adapt the overall water policy to the new ‘water realities’ and introduce new modern technologies for sustainable water management. Hydropower is a vital part of the economy for several countries in the region, where significant hydro potential allows them to generate electricity for domestic needs and export. However, the further development of the industry requires careful planning in order to minimize the negative impact on water resources. Water conservation technologies need to be introduced and improvements are needed in water monitoring and management systems. This is particularly important in the context of growing water demand and climate change. A key step in addressing the region’s water issues would be to step up the dialogue between countries and international organizations in an effort to find compromises and joint solutions. How can water allocation mechanisms between countries be improved to ensure a balance between irrigation and energy needs? What measures can be taken to adapt to climate change and reduce risks associated with melting glaciers and shifting water flows? What steps are needed to strengthen regional cooperation between countries in transboundary water resources management? How can the introduction of modern technologies and innovations in the water and energy sector be incentivized to improve sustainability and efficiency? What funding mechanisms could be used to implement joint projects in water resources management and hydropower development?

Moderator:

Alexey Bobrovsky — Economic Observer

Panellists:

Aslan Abdraimov — Vice Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Irina Bakhtina — Deputy Director General on sustainable development, En+ Group

Elena Dovlatova — Executive Director, Russian Association of Water Supply and Sewerage

Sodnomsambuu Demberel — President, Mongolian Academy of Sciences

Rustam Latifzoda — Chairman of the Committee of the Majlisi namoyandagon of the Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan on Agrarian Issues, Land and Water Resources

Alexander Sternik — Director, Third Department of CIS States, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Dmitry Tetenkin — Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

Isfandier Shukurzoda — First Deputy Chairman, Committee on Environmental Protection, Government of the Republic of Tajikistan

Front row participants:

Mikhail Bolgov — Head of the Surface Water Modeling Laboratory, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Institute of Water Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Serdar Gaiypov — Chairman, Committee on Environmental Protection, Nature Management, and the Agro-Industrial Complex of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan

Sergey Zhuravlev — Director, State Hydrological Institute

Dmitriy Kirillov — Head, Federal Agency for Water Resources

Andrey Petrov — Deputy Director, Research Institute of Irrigation and Water Problems, Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Mikhail Strakhov — Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Nature Management, Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety of St. Petersburg

Anvar Tuychiev — Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water Management, and Ecology of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan