SWITCH-Asia

Bishkek, 14 November 2019 – The SWITCH-Asia SCP Facility supported by the European Union Delegation to Kyrgyzstan organised the first Multi-stakeholder Consultation on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP). The event brought together about 30 stakeholders, including policy makers, practitioners and civil society to discuss challenges and identify national priorities on SCP, ultimately strengthening Kyrgyzstan’s work towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 and shifting towards a green and circular economy. 

Countries in Central Asia are at different stages in terms of awareness raising and policies towards shifting to SCP. While various measures related to SCP exist in Kyrgyzstan such as: the National Development Strategy of Kyrgyzstan till 2040, the Kyrgyz National Strategy for Sustainable Development, the country’s programme on Stability, Trust and New Opportunities, laws on waste production and management, as well as on plastic recycling and energy efficiency in buildings, still a lot needs to be done towards sustainability. 

"The theme of the Green Economy in our country is becoming more and more popular with major yearly events,” stated Avtandil Alybaev, Deputy Minister of Economy. He further maintained, "there is a gradual increase of activities in various areas in public policy, the introduction of green technologies and principles in the private sector. At the same time, the Sustainable Consumption and Production Programme was launched for the Central Asian region. It’s a great opportunity to expand the participation of all stakeholders for more active promotion of the green economy in the country and joint activities in this direction with stakeholders from the private and civil sectors”.

Referring to the major policy frameworks the EU has developed towards SCP such as the directives on resource efficiency, green economy, circular economy and plastics, Mr. Eduard Auer, Head of the EU Delegation to Kyrgyzstan, stressed the importance of the SWITCH-Asia programme, recently expanded to Central Asia, in further supporting the country’s ongoing work and achievements.

"Sustainability in our societies is no longer simply about increasing efficiencies or complying with regulations, it is about making fundamental changes in the way business is done and the way the world consumes. The shift to more sustainable consumption and production models and green economy can bring significant benefits: promote economic diversification and stimulate growth,” affirmed Auer. 

The interactive discussions between stakeholders resulted in three main priorities as driving forces to deliver impact towards a green and circular economy through the promotion of sustainable consumption and production. These include: circular economy in the agri-food sector, green/low carbon transport, and energy efficiency in buildings. 

While current challenges persist in the process of moving towards a circular economy and adopting SCP practices, the promotion of sustainable public procurement (SPP), sustainable business models, production practices, and “greening” supply chains remain high-level national priorities. Adequate communication about challenges and changes should also be accelerated. 

Arab Hoballah, SWITCH-Asia SCP Facility Team Leader, reinforced the importance of holding these consultations for building a shared understanding between all stakeholders on the need to strengthen partnerships in order to mainstream SCP effectively and across sectors. "Considering that the national Green Economy Strategy is being finalised, these consultations are timely to better define priority actions in support to green economy implementation, while identifying needed partnerships and connecting with other relevant EU projects”, said Hoballah. 

These consultations will be followed by the elaboration of a SWITCH-Asia action plan for Kyrgyzstan, to be implemented in the next few years, in close association with concerned parties.