In the golden haze of late June, Tashkent buzzed with more than heat—it pulsed with purpose. Delegates from across Central Asia, East Asia, and beyond converged at Eco Expo Central Asia 2025, a unique gathering where lofty climate ambitions met tangible solutions.
In the heart of Uzbekistan’s bustling capital, a powerful message reverberated: the region’s future depends on cooperation, not competition.
From the outset, the expo struck an optimistic chord. The refrain “From pipelines to pistachios” captured its spirit—an unexpected but fitting motif that blended heavy engineering with delicate agriculture.
It signified a deeper truth: solving climate challenges demands both steel and seed, large-scale infrastructure and green-rooted innovation.
An Urgent Wake-Up Call From Kazakhstan
Keynote speaker Saken Kalkamanov, head of Kazakhstan’s International Green Technologies and Investment Projects Centre, didn’t mince words. “A half‑degree of warming in Central Asia brings devastating consequences,” he warned, his voice carrying a sense of both urgency and hope.
With the region heating nearly twice the global average, his call for unity resonated deeply across the convention center.
Kazakhstan has shifted from rhetoric to action. It has published industrial modernisation manuals, launched a regional green economy bureau, and created a startup accelerator training over 500 youth eco‑entrepreneurs. More than ideas, these measures represent an evolving playbook for regional decarbonisation—and a template other nations are already studying.
South Korea’s Pistachio Promise
Not far from Kazakhstan’s pavilion, pistachio saplings stood as quiet ambassadors. In collaboration with KOICA—the Korea International Cooperation Agency—South Korea and Uzbekistan’s Forestry Agency are nurturing a pistachio orchard near Tashkent.
This is climate resilience rooted in forestry: restoring degraded lands, capturing carbon, improving soils, cooling microclimates—and sustaining livelihoods.
“We’re helping to build a system that improves biodiversity and supports livelihoods,” shared Kim Jun Ki, a Korean forestry researcher. This project is not just about trees; it’s an educational bridge. Korean experts are training Uzbek officials, embedding climate-smart practices that promise a lasting legacy.
“Greening is not just environmental—it’s social, economic, and long‑term,” Kim emphasised, a mantra reverberated throughout the expo halls.
China’s Engine of Water Resilience
Yet the expo’s fourth point—China’s investment in water infrastructure—proved just as compelling. Amid environmental innovation, it’s easy to overlook valves and pipelines—but those fittings define futures. Tianjin Worlds Valve Co. is installing large‑diameter valves in two government-run pump stations in Bukhara province.
“These are essential for modernising irrigation and managing water more efficiently in a changing climate,” explained Sandy Zhang, the company’s project engineer. In a part of the world where drought and glacier loss threaten agriculture and communities, these valves signal more than pipes—they represent resilience.
Improving irrigation means using less water, increasing crop reliability, and safeguarding food security. In a region where a single mismanaged drop of water could cascade into hardship, China’s infrastructural focus underscores a deeper truth: climate adaptation sometimes starts underground.
Sowing a Regional Green Consensus
What emerged from the expo is more than a collection of projects—it’s an ecosystem of cooperation:
- Kazakhstan sets the policy stage.
- Uzbekistan embraces openness, hosting and integrating diverse collaborations.
- South Korea brings experimental, education‑focused reforestation.
- China delivers hard‑nosed tools for water and industrial resilience.
As Kalkamanov reflected later, “This isn’t just about emissions… It’s about building a common future: cleaner, greener, and more resilient for all.” That shared vision, tracing roots from pipelines to pistachios—and through vital waterworks—signals a pact beyond politics.
Real‑World Roots: Moments That Mattered
In the KOICA orchard, I spoke with a young Uzbek forestry officer, clutching a sapling. Her eyes brightened as she described mulching sessions taught by Korean experts: “We learned why these trees help cool the land. It’s more than planting—it’s a partnership.”
Meanwhile, in Bukhara, sand swirled around new valve installations. Engineers tested each flange and seal under the relentless sun. Water gushed through pipes once sluggish—now revitalised. For local farmers trekking through dusty fields, this meant confidence—no longer would their crops depend on unpredictable canal flows.
And in Kazakhstan’s pavilion, a small group huddled over a manual on low‑carbon industrial retrofits. These youth innovators, graduates of the green startup accelerator, shared dreams of replicating this model in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan—even Mongolia.
Looking Ahead: From Pledges to Practice
Eco Expo Central Asia 2025 chose action over aspiration. Each country’s contribution—policy, tree, valve—extends far beyond exhibition halls. They’re early harvests of commitment, seeds for systemic change.
Yet this is only a beginning. South Korea plans to extend pistachio training into climate‑storytelling and environmental media. China is exploring local offices and joint ventures. And Kazakhstan’s green bureau eyes a permanent regional platform.
The message is simple: climate solutions flourish in unity. As the world watches, Central Asia is proving that climate ambition is most potent when it binds nations together—across cultures, technologies, and landscapes.
Conclusion
In Tashkent’s sun-drenched expo halls, Central Asia’s climate narrative shifted. Where once pipelines symbolised industrial might and pistachios hinted at environmental recovery, now water valves complete the picture—a triad of infrastructure, ecology, and cooperation.
As the last days of the expo unfold, the real test begins: sustaining these early gains. Yet with regional trust taking root and projects blooming across borders, hope is no longer hypothetical—it’s in motion, measurable and meaningful.
Central Asia’s climate future is taking shape—not in isolation, but in concert. And in that shared rhythm lies the promise of a greener tomorrow.
