Date: 24 April 2026
Time: 9.00 a.m. to 10.45 a.m. (UTC+5)
Location: Astana Congress Centre, Caspian Room (1st Floor)
Central Asia faces significant climate vulnerabilities, including increased risk of droughts, floods, glacial retreat, and desertification, all of which directly threaten infrastructure systems. By harnessing the protective functions of natural ecosystems such as forests and grasslands, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can buffer climate risks, reduce infrastructure vulnerability, and deliver co-benefits for biodiversity, local communities and economic development.
This side event at the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 will provide an overview of the recently launched call for proposals for pilot projects in Central Asia under the Nature-Based Solutions Innovation Accelerator (NBS-IA), an initiative led by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, in collaboration with UNEP and the OECD, to support innovative NbS that enhance infrastructure resilience. The event will also officially launch a new OECD Policy Brief on infrastructure and NbS in Central Asia.
Bringing together high-level government representatives, international organizations, multilateral development banks, academia, and civil society, the event will provide ample space for dialogue between regional stakeholders and the NBS-IA team. It will inform prospective applicants about the terms of reference for pilot projects, eligible NbS typologies, the application process and timeline, and the selection criteria.
Contact
