ТАSHKENT, November 11. /Dunyo IA/.   President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev addressed the plenary session of the World Leaders Summit, held as part of the 31^st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), currently taking place in Antalya, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

According to the press service of the President of Uzbekistan, summit brought together Heads of State and Government from more than 80 countries, along with leaders of major international organizations and financial institutions.

At the beginning of his address, Head of our State thanked President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his hospitality and praised the high level of preparations for the conference, co-chaired by Türkiye and Australia.

President noted that Uzbekistan supports global efforts to combat climate change and is building its development model around the efficient use of natural resources and “green” technologies.

Leader of Uzbekistan highlighted the country's efforts and achievements at the national level in this area to the international community.

Uzbekistan has achieved its target of reducing emissions per unit of GDP by 35 percent ahead of schedule and has set a new target of a 50 percent reduction by 2035.

Over the past decade, the water intensity of the economy has nearly halved, while water withdrawals have decreased by one-fifth. Water-saving technologies now cover more than 60 percent of irrigated land.

Large-scale land restoration efforts have increased the country's afforested area by six million hectares, one-third of which is in the Aral Sea region.

Uzbekistan is also consistently implementing its Waste Management Strategy.

President of Uzbekistan emphasized that care for the younger generation is at the heart of the country's policies.

“In Uzbekistan, children’s environmental education is built on the combined efforts of families, mahallas, and schools. From an early age, starting in kindergarten, children learn to conserve water, plant and care for trees, and protect their environment”, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

Leader of Uzbekistan noted that one in five people in Uzbekistan is a school or university student. Thanks to the country's systematic approach to environmental education and awareness, three-quarters of Uzbekistan's population will have comprehensive knowledge of environmental protection by 2050.

Outlining his vision for further joint action, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed that no country can adapt to climate challenges alone.

“Across Central Asia, threats such as melting glaciers, water scarcity, and extreme droughts are becoming increasingly severe. These shared challenges call for coordinated action by all countries in our region,” the President said.

In this regard, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed developing a regional Climate Integration Model, starting with cooperation in three key areas.

The first is information. With the support of the World Meteorological Organization, the President of Uzbekistan proposed establishing infrastructure for exchanging information on climate risks.

The second is technology. Uzbekistan expressed its readiness to transform the “ECO-EXPO” exhibition into a permanent investment and technology platform for modern environmental solutions tailored to the region's needs.

The third is finance. To ensure adequate and predictable funding, the President proposed working with development banks and trust funds to develop new support instruments, including concessional grants and blue and arid financing mechanisms.

In conclusion, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev called on conference participants to translate the concept of climate integration into concrete action and give it meaningful practical substance. He also proposed applying this vital model in all interested regions of the world.