Advancing Sustainable Tourism in Central Asia and Caucasus

The regional webinar on sustainable tourism is part of the UNEP Program's Global Opportunities for Sustainable Development Goals in Europe and Central Asia (GO4SDGs) activities, implemented by UNEP in partnership with «ESG Central Asia» to promote the sustainable tourism in the countries of Central Asian and Caucasus.

The sustainable tourism project is built upon the pilot activities of "Sustainable Tourism and Plastic/Food Waste Management" that were implemented during 2022-2023 in the Kyrgyz Republic. This project aimed at mitigating plastic and food waste pollution in recreational zones, emphasizing the empowerment of women in decision-making, promoting legislation for single-use plastic regulation, and facilitating accession to the UNEP-led Global Tourism Plastics Initiative.

The project's second phase targets to upscale the attained results and replicate them to other Central Asian countries and Caucasus. The project also strives to advance eco-certification in the tourism industry and formulate precise recommendations for implementing sub-regional unified eco-certification standards in Central Asian tourism sector.

Objective:

The main objective of the regional webinar is to share international best practices and expertise on managing plastic and other waste in the tourism sector vis-à-vis the arising climate change implications. In particular, the participants will be equipped with the information on the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative and the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, both of which are implemented under the guidance of UNEP and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The initiatives are designed to accomplish sustainable development within the tourism industry through the participation of national and local authorities, private companies, and supporting organizations in executing agreements regarding sustainable production and consumption.

Facilitated platform will enable the countries of Central Asian and Caucasus to discuss the global initiatives' significance to aid and strengthen the implementation of national strategies on green economy and climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The target audience of the webinar includes the representatives of relevant national authorities, hospitality sector companies, such as hotels and small-scale enterprises in tourism industry, civil society representatives, experts from Central Asia and Caucasus, as well as international organizations.

Simultaneous interpretation from/to Russian and recording will be provided.