During the meeting, it was noted that Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Pakistan face serious climatic vulnerabilities, including melting glaciers, water scarcity, desertification and declining agricultural productivity. It was noted that glaciers are an important transboundary water resource that supports national demand in agriculture, hydropower, drinking water supply and tourism.
It is worth noting that solving the problems of climate change and glacier melting requires a complex interdisciplinary approach due to the interconnectedness of these problems. Sustainable development requires an integrated approach that includes water resources management, agriculture, infrastructure, disaster risk reduction, ecosystem solutions and social sector improvements.
At the meeting, the ministers stressed that the region needs financing to solve climate problems in the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan and commitments on nationally determined contributions. It was noted that in order to solve climate problems in the region, it is necessary to mobilize 30 billion US dollars annually, and the ability of countries to use climate finance is less effective than in other regions.
The event also highlighted the important role of the proposed regional Glacier to Farm (G2F) program, which aims to raise a total of $3.5 billion in funding over seven years from 2025 to 2031. This program provides transformational investments to support countries in meeting their urgent needs in dealing with the effects of melting glaciers and other impacts of climate change. This will be achieved through climate planning and budgeting, the introduction of sustainable land and water management practices, the strengthening of agricultural value chains, as well as climate-resilient infrastructure and social protection measures. The program also promotes cross-sectoral and cross-border communication to promote water and food security.
The signed declaration reflects the commitment of the parties to the UN General Assembly resolution on proclaiming 2025 the "International Year of Glacier Conservation", as well as the introduction of knowledge and information exchange systems, research, monitoring and early warning, including glacier risk assessment, climate research. The strengthening of cooperation on the development of cross-border cooperation and capacity building at all levels was noted.
In addition, development partners and donors were invited to accelerate the use of financial assistance and implement climate actions for the conservation and adaptation of glaciers in Central and Western Asia.
