Enhancing landscape resilience to zoonotic disease emergence by consolidating nature conservation systems in Central Asia

Zoonoses as Covid-19 threaten human health globally. The project prevents zoonotic diseases by expanding and improving natural areas and landscapes. It aims to address the relevant causes of epidemic risk and consolidate a fair and effective regional network of protected and conserved areas. The project includes three core components, focusing on: area-based conservation, species management and human and environmental health through good governance. Moreover, activities on disease monitoring, communications and knowledge sharing and environmental and health policy will enhance use of research and technology for zoonotic diseases prevention, and improve awareness raising and national policy. The project will involve institutions, government and non-government organisations, specialist groups, communities including marginalized and most vulnerable groups to climate change and disease outbreaks. The project will have measurable and specific impacts in the five target countries.

Project data

Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
IKI funding: 11,032,937.00 €
Duration: 07/2022 till 12/2029
Status: open
Implementing organisation: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECARO)
Political Partner: Committee of Environmental Protection of the Republic – Tajikistan

Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection - Turkmenistan

Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Ministry of Ecology and natural resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision – Kyrgyzstan
Implementing Partner: CAMP Alatoo - Kyrgyzstan

Inst. of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Institute of Zoology of Kazakhstan

Michael-Succow-Foundation / Michael Succow Stiftung

Secretariat of Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) - Deutschland

Tajikistan Nature Foundation (TNF)

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC)

Zoological Society of London (ZSL) - United Kingdom

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State of implementation/results

The project kick-off event, along with a Regional Protected and Conserved Areas Orientation Workshop, was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 28 to 30 August 2024. The meeting brought together all implementing partners, as well as national and international stakeholders to present the project’s goals, work plans, and governance structure, while gathering feedback from participants. The event also featured a high-level session on international One Health initiatives in Central Asia, which facilitated discussions on potential synergies and collaboration opportunities with the World Bank, World Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
The project was launched at the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14), in the presence of government representatives from partnering countries – Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, the host country.

Latest Update:
01/2025