Forests and grasslands absorb greenhouse gases and therefore play a critical role in solving the problems associated with climate change. Taking this into account, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with financial support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), as well as national partners, is implementing a project in Kyrgyzstan that will help the country restore ecosystems.

In December 2023, the working group of the FAO project “Carbon Sequestration through Climate Investments in Forests and Rangelands in the Kyrgyz Republic (CS-FOR)” held meetings with residents of four pilot districts in Jalal-Abad, Naryn and Osh regions.

The adjacent Ak-Tala, Suzak, Toguz-Toro and Uzgen districts are located in climate-sensitive zones and were therefore selected for the project. Over 27 years, the average annual temperature here has increased by almost 1.5 °C.

“In accordance with international obligations, Kyrgyzstan must prevent a further increase in average air temperature by more than 1.5 °C,” said Bakytbek Yrsaliev, Deputy Director of the State Forestry Service of the Kyrgyz Republic. “Annual carbon dioxide emissions in our country reach 15 million tons. 11 million tons are consumed by forests. Therefore, in the coming years, we need to create conditions for sequestering the remaining volume of carbon dioxide.”