DUSHANBE, November 2, Asia-Plus -- A three-day conference on sustainable use of energy resources in the mountain areas of Central Asia will open in Dushanbe on November 22, according to the Dushanbe non-governmental organization For Earth. 

For Earth head Timur Idrisov told Asia-Plus that the initiators of the forum are the Alliance of Central Asian Mountain Communities (AGOCA) and the Central Asian Mountain Partnership (CAMP), working in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. 

According to Idrisov, the forum will discuss strengthening the network of organizations working on sustainable development in Central Asian mountain regions and stimulate multi-level policy dialogue.

Idrisov said, “120 persons representing villages, NGOs, the government, the business sector, as well as specialists and researchers, have been invited to the conference. ” Participants will share experiences in improving the conditions for sustainable development and improving energy consumption and energy saving in mountain villages.  ”The energy situation in rural areas of Central Asia and the prospect of its further deterioration are a serious issue,” said the For Earth head, ‘One key factor contributing to the sustainable development of the villages will be energy saving, as this will have a positive impact on the health of the population, family budgets and the ecology of village, as well as the development of the region as a whole.” 

Idrisov added that the key goals of the forum are to draw the attention of the wider public, partners, authorities and donor organizations to sustainable use of energy resources; to discuss strategies to promote the sustainable use of energy resources for villages in Central Asia; to stimulate the exchange of experiences about practical technologies and to strengthen partnerships to promote projects on house insulation and the use of efficient stoves in the villages.

CAMP is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and is designed and implemented by the Center for Development and Environment (CDE) of the University of Berne. In 2000, CAMP started operating in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan. The program is now in its second phase, which will finish at the end of 2006.

CAMP participates in the policy dialogue on sustainable mountain development to contribute to a coherent regional policy for the Central Asian mountain regions at local, national and regional levels, as opposed to a target group or sector orientation.  CAMP is working to improve the conditions for the sustainable development of mountain areas at all levels of decision making and public awareness through better representation of village people (through the Alliance of Central Asian Mountain Communities), promoting public discussion and networking with concerned people and institutions and furthering public awareness, strengthening collaboration with government and international organizations and working towards more coherent regional mountain policies.