The UN Environment Assembly (UNEA), following the conclusion of its seventh session held at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, has adopted a resolution titled “On the Preservation of Glaciers and the Cryosphere”, initiated by the Republic of Tajikistan, Khovar.tj reports.
The document calls on UN member states and international partners to step up urgent measures to protect glaciers, combat climate change, strengthen international cooperation, and enhance resilience to climate-related risks. It also emphasizes the need to mobilize financial resources and expand scientific and technological cooperation in the field of cryosphere protection.
The resolution separately welcomes the International High-Level Conference on Glacier Preservation held in Dushanbe in May 2025. The Assembly gave a positive assessment of the forum’s outcome documents—the Dushanbe Declaration on Glaciers and the Dushanbe Call for Glacier Preservation—highlighting their contribution to shaping the global climate agenda.
The adopted document became the first resolution in the history of the UN Environment Assembly proposed by a Central Asian state. Tajikistan’s initiative was supported by a broad group of countries, reflecting growing international recognition of the role of glaciers in ensuring water security and sustainable development.
In recent years, Tajikistan has consistently promoted the issues of water resource and glacier conservation at the international level. At the country’s initiative, the UN General Assembly previously proclaimed 2025 the International Year of Glacier Preservation and established World Glacier Day. These initiatives are a logical continuation of the global water agenda advanced by Dushanbe, including the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development.”
Located in a region where a significant share of Central Asia’s water resources is formed, Tajikistan views glacier melting as one of the key threats to regional and global security. The promotion of the resolution within UNEP marks another step by the country toward institutionalizing international efforts to protect the cryosphere and adapt to climate change.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
December 15, 2025