ASTANA, 14 September 2016 – Promoting the Green Bridge Partnership Initiative (GBPI) with a focus on exchange of green technologies and improved co-operation is the topic of a two-day OSCE-supported international conference that started today in Astana.
The conference brought together some 150 representatives from state institutions, non-governmental and international organizations, the business sector and academia from Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Latvia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and the United States of America.
The participants reviewed best practices and lessons learned in the transition to a green economy as part of international efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change. Discussions also focused on the GBPI perspectives for Kazakhstan and the Eurasian region in light of the planned establishment of the Green Technologies Transfer Centre in Astana as a follow up of EXPO-2017. The new Centre will showcase opportunities for innovation and facilitate better know-how exchange in the domain of energy efficiency, energy saving, organic farming and green construction.
Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said: “We are confident that Astana will become an effective platform for showcasing the best of world developments and trends in the use of solar, wind, biogas, marine and geothermal energy. I believe that the dialogue platform in the framework of the forum will be a catalyst for constructive proposals for global-priority innovations in the field of the green economy and technology.”
“During the past decade Kazakhstan has consistently promoted green growth reforms and innovations, making a valuable contribution to sustainable development and co-operation,” said György Szabó, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “The Office highly welcomes the GBPI initiative and is prepared to provide its expert assistance in the development of the Green Technologies Centre”.
The second day of the conference will take place at Arnasai village, where the participants will familiarize themselves with the application of energy and water-saving methods, drip irrigation, solar greenhouses and fertilizing with worms.
The event was co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and the Energy Ministry, the United Nations Development Programme in Kazakhstan, the Coalition for Green Economy and G-Global, with expert support from the Japan External Trade Organization, the Asian Development Bank Institute, the Austrian Institute of Technology, the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency and the Eurasian National University.
It is part of the OSCE Programme Office’s long-term efforts to promote solid renewable energy and green growth policies as part of the environment security approach in the host country.
Source: osce.org
