Ashgabat, 1 April 2026 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Turkmenistan convened the final seminar of its regional project ‘Climate Education for Sustainable Development Goals and Climate Action (Climate Box)’, marking an important step in strengthening climate education across the country.
The event brought together representatives from the education, environmental, and healthcare sectors, academia, youth, NGOs, and international partners.
The regional Climate Box project, funded by the Russian Federation, promotes knowledge exchange, strengthens international cooperation, and shares best practices in climate education. Now available in 17 languages, the project has evolved into a global platform supporting climate literacy among schoolchildren and educators.
A central highlight of the event was the presentation of the Climate Box (2026) - an updated, nationally adapted, interactive educational toolkit designed to integrate climate change topics into school curricula. Developed with the active participation of national experts, the toolkit is available in both digital and print formats.
Opening the seminar, Narine Sahakyan, UNDP Resident Representative in Turkmenistan, emphasized the importance of education in addressing climate challenges:
“Climate change remains one of the defining challenges of our time. Our response depends largely on how effectively we invest in education and foster environmental awareness, especially among young people. The ‘Climate Box’ is a powerful example of how educational tools can help build a generation that not only understands climate challenges but is ready to act.”
H.E. Mr. Ivan Volynkin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Turkmenistan noted:
“This project, launched in 2012 with the direct participation of the Government of the Russian Federation, remains an effective tool for fostering environmental awareness and culture among the younger generation in Central Asian countries.”
During the seminar, the results of adapting the “Climate Box” to Turkmenistan’s context were presented, along with demonstrations and presentations by scientists, teachers, and students focused on enhancing climate education through the use of the toolkit in schools.
The event concluded with the official handover of the educational toolkit to national partners, including the Ministry of Education, for further use across educational institutions nationwide.
The “Climate Box” is a regional UNDP project aimed at promoting climate education in countries across Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. The interactive educational toolkit engages children and youth in learning about climate change and motivates them to engage in climate action. Originally developed as a national project, it has grown into an international platform, available in multiple languages and adapted to local educational contexts.
The implementation of the regional project in Turkmenistan was made possible with the support of the Government of Turkmenistan and partners, including the Russian Federation Trust Fund, which supports the development of climate education initiatives.