Ministry of Ecology, environmental protection and climate change of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The event brought together representatives from environmental agencies, the scientific community, international organizations, and financial institutions from 12 snow leopard range countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

During the meeting, the Uzbek delegation delivered a presentation on the latest efforts to monitor and preserve the snow leopard population in the country. Particular attention was given to the use of modern technologies, including GPS tracking, camera traps, and the SMART patrol system — a global monitoring tool now implemented at the national level in 12 countries and covering more than 700 protected areas worldwide.

Thanks to consistent efforts and interagency coordination, the snow leopard population in Uzbekistan’s mountainous regions is now estimated to exceed 100 individuals. This success has been made possible through enhanced habitat protection and the expansion of nature reserves. Over the past five years, the share of protected areas in Uzbekistan has increased from 4.6% to 14% of the country’s total territory.

It was emphasized that under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, environmental protection remains a top national priority. Uzbekistan is actively implementing measures to conserve biodiversity, combat land degradation, and adapt to climate change. As part of efforts in environmental education and ecotourism, three new visitor centers have been opened across the country — two of which focus on mountain ecosystems and raising public awareness of the snow leopard’s ecological role.

The Cholpon-Ata meeting continued the momentum of international discussions held at key environmental events, including COP14 of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Samarkand, Uzbekistan), COP16 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (Cali, Colombia), UN Climate Change Conference COP29 (Baku, Azerbaijan), and the 16th session of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).

The meeting concluded with the adoption of the "Cholpon-Ata Resolution", a significant document outlining coordinated steps for ongoing collaboration in the conservation of snow leopards, the resilience of mountain ecosystems in the region, and climate adaptation.

Uzbekistan’s participation in the 9th GSLEP Steering Committee Meeting marked an important step in strengthening international partnerships in the fields of environmental protection and biodiversity conservation, while reaffirming the country’s commitment to the global environmental agenda.