EBRD Explores New Environmental Partnerships in Turkmenistan

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is actively seeking to expand its involvement in green projects in Turkmenistan, signaling growing interest in the country’s environmental priorities and sustainable development goals.

A meeting held at the EBRD’s Ashgabat office brought together senior Bank officials and representatives of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), The Caspian Post reports via Turkmen media.

The session emphasized the potential for collaboration on climate-related initiatives and laid the groundwork for future joint efforts.

The EBRD delegation - including Eric Livny, Head of the EBRD Office in Turkmenistan, and experts in climate and regional policy - discussed the development of the Bank’s next five-year environmental strategy. They stressed the importance of identifying effective local partners with deep knowledge of the region’s environmental landscape.

“We aim to provide the most effective support to Central Asian countries as they transition toward sustainable development,” one Bank representative noted during the talks.

On behalf of CAREC, Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the Project Office of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) in Turkmenistan, outlined key areas for potential cooperation. He identified waste management as a strategic priority for Turkmenistan, pointing to the 2015 national Law on Waste and the country’s readiness to engage in international partnerships in this area.

Kepbanov emphasized that a joint waste management project with the EBRD would be especially timely, reflecting both legislative progress and national commitment to environmental reform.

In addition to waste management, CAREC presented other areas of interest, including:

The Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC-2025) held in May

The regional component of the "One Health" initiative

Projects targeting methane emissions reduction in the oil and gas sector

Programs for climate risk management

These initiatives align closely with the EBRD’s focus on sustainable development and offer a broad platform for future cooperation.

The EBRD delegation concluded the meeting by affirming its readiness to deepen cooperation with CAREC’s Turkmenistan office, emphasizing mutual interest in identifying concrete project areas and leveraging CAREC’s technical expertise.

This evolving partnership is expected to advance green development in Turkmenistan and contribute meaningfully to broader regional sustainability goals across Central Asia.