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The
Kvesheti–Kobi highway, funded by the EBRD and
ADB as part of the International North–South
Transport Corridor, has significantly damaged
Georgia's Khada Valley, impacting its landscape,
biodiversity, and cultural heritage. Local
communities face not only environmental
devastation but also threats and intimidation
when voicing their concerns about land grabs and
project impacts.
At the
informal TNA summit in Shusha, Shavkat
Mirziyoyev proposed the establishment of a
Turkic Environmental Council headquartered in
Nukus to combat climate change. He expressed
hope for support for the initiative and noted
that Nukus, which has been hit hard by
environmental disasters, is a suitable place for
the headquarters. Mirziyoyev also expressed
Uzbekistan's readiness to actively participate
in the upcoming UN climate summit in Baku in
November 2024.
In
Tajikistan, from April 1, 2024, all new and
reconstructed buildings must be equipped with
solar energy systems with day-ahead energy
storage to reduce dependence on centralized
electricity supply. This innovation aims to
improve the energy security and energy
efficiency of buildings, which is supported by
the country's green economy and construction
industry strategies. However, experts express
concern about the need for significant
investment, training and disposal of solar
panels as they fail.
Emergency
services in Osh responded to severe flooding and
landslides on July 14, prompted by heavy
rainfall that caused the Ak-Buura river to
overflow. The flooding affected central Osh and
nearby areas like Toleikon, Borubai-Ata, and
Ozgur, leading to evacuations and a state of
emergency declaration. Travel along the
Osh-Gulcho-Erkeshtam road has been halted, with
power outages also impacting the region. Further
heavy rainfall could exacerbate flooding in
low-lying communities and urban areas lacking
adequate stormwater drainage
systems.
Following
the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine,
Taiwan has significantly increased its imports
of Russian coal, with private companies
compensating for the state-owned Taiwan Power
Company's cessation of purchases, resulting in a
31% rise over the past year. This increase has
made Taiwan the fifth largest importer of
Russian coal, with imports totaling USD 3.5
billion since the invasion began. Additionally,
Taiwan's imports of other Russian fossil fuels,
such as oil products, have surged over 200% in
the last 12 months, prompting calls from CREA
for Taiwanese companies to cease buying Russian
coal and outline plans to reduce dependency on
Russian energy sources.
Following
the Chernobyl disaster and the collapse of
communism, nuclear projects in Eastern Europe
dwindled, but there is now a resurgence of plans
to build new reactors, driven by the need for
greener energy and reduced reliance on Russian
gas. Eastern European countries are planning
significant nuclear investments, though funding
and engineering expertise remain major
challenges, with substantial reliance on EU
subsidies and government involvement expected.
Contrastingly, Western Europe has a mixed stance
on nuclear power, with some countries phasing it
out while others continue to rely heavily on it,
amid ongoing construction delays and cost
overruns.
The
Prague Civil Society Centre is happy to invite
representatives of organisations and initiatives
with experience attracting, empowering, and
coaching new leaders to apply for a fully-funded
three-day gathering. Are you ready to share your
knowledge, learn from others and work for
positive change in Eastern Europe, the South
Caucasus, and Central Asia? We want to meet
you!
When:
21-23 October 2024
Mark
your calendars from September 20 to 29 for the
Global Week #Act4SDGs, an initiative supporting
the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during
the UN General Assembly's high-level week. This
year's key event is the Summit of the Future on
September 22-23 in New York, aimed at addressing
global challenges and enhancing international
cooperation with outcomes like the Pact for the
Future and the Declaration on Future
Generations. SDG LENS encourages
multigenerational participation in local
initiatives during this week, inviting
organizations and individuals from Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and
Ukraine to submit ideas for advocacy or
mobilization actions by July 28 for a chance to
receive a microgrant of up to 500
EUR.
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