Ashgabat hosted the International Scientific and Practical Conference, “Main Directions of Ensuring Sustainable Development: Contemporary Issues of Ecological Education and Environmental Protection,” on April 7-8, 2025, organized by Magtymguly Turkmen State University.
Ms. Derya Soysal, Brussels-based expert on Central Asia, delivered an online lecture focusing on the critical role of negative emissions technologies (NETs) in biodiversity preservation.
Soysal addressed climate change challenges and detailed the development of innovative technologies aimed at mitigating its effects, including NETs.
She emphasized the urgency of addressing global and Central Asian ecological issues, highlighting the importance of biodiversity studies and climate action. Soysal stressed that climate change represents the century’s greatest challenge, necessitating the exploration of all available technologies, such as NETs, carbon capture, and storage.
NETs, which capture and permanently store atmospheric CO₂, are essential for achieving sustainable carbon neutralization. This Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) approach, aiming for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and limiting global warming to 1.5°C, is gaining attention, with even figures like Elon Musk investing in its development.
The conference’s focus on biodiversity underscored Turkmenistan’s commitment to addressing climate change and environmental protection. ///nCa, 9 April 2025