Helping to break the ice on climate cooperation

Climate change is no longer a distant environmental concern, but has become a matter of water and food security, particularly for countries like Kyrgyzstan.

With more than 90 percent of Kyrgyzstan being mountainous, its glaciers and snowfields play a critical role in sustaining river systems across Central Asia. The World Bank describes these high-elevation glaciers as the "Water Tower of Central Asia", underscoring their importance to regional agriculture and hydropower.

But the changing climate is putting this system under strain. Kyrgyzstan is experiencing more frequent and intense storms, landslides, floods, droughts and heat waves, while rising temperatures are increasing pressure on irrigation and agricultural productivity.

This is why climate cooperation deserves a more prominent place on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization agenda.

The organization is already moving in this direction. Environmental protection has become an established area of cooperation, supported by regular meetings of environmental authorities and expert mechanisms.

One promising area is joint environmental and glacier monitoring. Climate risks do not respect national borders, while climate data is often collected and processed nationally.

The 2024 Joint Communiqué of the SCO Council of Heads of Government called for accelerating the work of the Special Working Group on Climate Change.

Such a mechanism would allow countries to maintain control over national data while agreeing on common indicators, technical standards and procedures for exchanging selected information.

China, with its advanced capabilities in remote sensing, satellite observation, digital technologies and environmental monitoring, could make contributions to such cooperation.

A second priority should be establishing early warning systems for regional disasters. Mountain ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to cascading risks. Rapid snow and glacier melt can lead to floods and mudflows, while changing precipitation patterns and prolonged dry periods can strain agriculture and water systems.

The SCO could develop an interoperable early-warning network linking meteorological, hydrological and emergency-management institutions.

Cross-border information exchange is particularly valuable in river basins and mountain areas where hazards can affect neighboring territories.

Technology exchange for climate adaptation is another crucial area. Climate cooperation should not be limited to measuring the problem.

It should help countries adapt their economies and infrastructure to evolving conditions.

Cooperation between China and Central Asian countries can be particularly significant. Kyrgyzstan is already investing in modernizing irrigation, improving water measurement and monitoring, strengthening water regulation and enhancing agricultural resilience.

The SCO could provide a platform for countries to share such experiences and connect technological solutions with local needs. Rather than treating climate technology as a one-way transfer, cooperation should encourage joint research, pilot projects, training and localization of technologies.

The protection of mountain ecosystems and glaciers is also vital. Kyrgyzstan has particular experiences and interests in this area.

International cooperation has supported efforts to strengthen monitoring of glaciers, snow cover and mudflows, as well as sustainable landscape management and regional cooperation among Central Asian countries.

The SCO could build on these efforts by creating a network of mountain research institutions and analytical centers.

Climate resilience is an investment in regional development. Investment in resilient water systems, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and green technologies can create new economic opportunities.

For the SCO, this creates a natural connection between environmental cooperation and the organization's broader economic agenda. Climate-resilient infrastructure can support connectivity. Efficient water use can strengthen food security.

Thus, climate cooperation should not be viewed as a separate environmental track. It can become a cross-cutting component of the SCO's work on development, connectivity, agriculture, energy, science and technology.

The SCO is well positioned to contribute because its member states combine substantial scientific, technological and financial capabilities with diverse environmental conditions and practical experience.

The question is no longer whether climate issues belong on the SCO agenda, but whether the organization can turn existing environmental cooperation into a practical system for building regional resilience.

For Kyrgyzstan, glaciers are a reminder that environmental security and human security are inseparable. For the SCO, climate cooperation offers an opportunity to turn a common vulnerability into a new pillar of practical partnership.

The author is a chief expert of the Department of International Cooperation at the National Institute for Strategic Initiatives under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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