On June 5, World Environmental Protection Day was widely celebrated in Turkmenistan as in all parts of the world. One of the top priorities of state policy carried out by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is to preserve riches and beauty of Turkmenistan’s nature, to pass this invaluable heritage to future generations. All large-scaled national reforming programs in economic sector and social sphere are closely connected with ecological component as integral condition of people’s safe life in all respects.
International cooperation in the sphere of environmental protection acts as one of the key aspects of foreign-policy course of Turkmenistan that takes the most active position in problem solving, which worries the whole mankind. The clear evidence of this is UN’s nature conservation conventions ratified by Turkmenistan on biodiversity, desertification control, climate change, protection of the ozone layer, protection and use of trans-boundary watercourse and international lakes. Together with UNDP (United Nations Development Program), UNEP (United Nations Environment Program), Global Economic Fund and other authoritative international structures dozens of environmental programs and projects are realized on the national and regional levels.
The constructive initiatives declared by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at the sessions of the UN General Assembly, United Nations Conference “Rio+20” on sustainable development and other large international forums have found wide support of the world community. Proposals on opening of Ashgabat regional centre on technologies connected with climate change in Central Asia and the Caspian basin, the elaboration of special UN program on Aral Sea salvation as well as the creation of new mechanism of collaboration, that is, International ecological dialogue on the Caspian Sea are among them.
Putting forward the above-mentioned initiatives, Turkmenistan is taking concrete steps on their practical realization. Much work is being carried out in the sphere of rational usage of water, land and biological resources, preservation of biodiversity and natural landscape, struggle against desertification and deforestation, ecological education of population. Laws on Nature Protection, Specially Protected Natural Territories, Protection of the Ozone Layer, Forest Code, Fishery and Preservation of Water Biological Resources, Flora and Fauna as well as many other laws corresponding to the international norms have been adopted. “National Strategy on Climate Change” and “National Forestry Program of Turkmenistan” approved by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov are realized step by step.
Advancement of scientific and technical potential of the country comprehensively promotes preservation of ecological well-being. Today, innovative, alternative technologies are implemented in all sectors of national economy, measures are taken to increase the effectiveness of control over a clear atmosphere, compliance with the environmental standards and requirements of constructed plants, factories and other objects that in due order undergo thorough safety examination for the environment.
During recent years, foreign guests have been admiring the impetuously extending areas of young forests and parks blooming all the year round. Man-made oases are spreading out on thousands of hectares in different parts of the country.
Realization of grandiose tree and shrub planting program has been a weighty contribution to the world’s struggle against negative consequences of climate change.
Forest belts appearing around every human settlement, along the arterial highways and railroads create a comfortable microclimate.
Primary attention is paid to natural monuments and development of particularly protected areas – nature reserves and wildlife preserves that have a great natural, scientific, cultural and recreational meaning. In this connection important tasks are entrusted to the Ministry of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan, National Institute of Desert, Flora and Fauna, regional departments of nature protection, “Kaspekogozegchilik” specialized service as well as other nature protection structures.
At present the Turkmen specialists carry out appropriate work on inclusion of unique conservation zones of the country into the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage. In this way, nomination file of Badhyz natural complex, famous with its tectonic fractures and ancient volcanoes, natural massifs of pistachio groves, largest populations of steppe onagers, goitered gazelles and mountain wild rams, have been prepared. Moreover, Repetek, Sunt-Hasardag, Amudarya, Hazar, Koytendag and other reserves are to be included in the preliminary list of national natural sites.
As of today experience of nature conservation measures and huge potential of Turkmen science is more than ever in demand in the world, which in turn confirms reiterated choice of Turkmenistan as a place of conduction of large ecological forums, conferences and seminars.
The whole history of Turkmens is harmoniously connected with the nature of native land, i.e. boundless Karakum desert and fertile blooming oases, majestic peaks of Kopetdag mountains and wonderful coastline of the Caspian Sea. Since time immemorial Turkmen people treated native land with love, being sure that land lavished with care will render for efforts with generous yield.
As President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov states, the essence of the Happy Epoch of Powerful State is to provide prosperity to native land, revival of ancient traditions of Turkmen people and to treat it as the most valuable and sacred place. Turkmenistan meets the worldwide Day of Environmental Protection with real deeds in nature protection activity, its voice confidently sounds in the world community aimed at preserving the beauty of nature on the planet in full measure.
