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Sustainable Cities and Communities: Environmental Perspective in CIS Member States

SDG 11

19 November, 10:00-13:00
Conference Hall of Law Institute

Session

The member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are united by common challenges in ecology and urbanisation despite differences in economic and social models. The historical legacy of industrialisation, climatic features and the transboundary nature of many environmental issues make cooperation in sustainable urban development not only relevant, but also critically important.

Today, CIS cities are at the centre of a contradiction: on the one hand, they remain drivers of economic growth, but on the other, they face the consequences of outdated approaches to planning, resource consumption, and ecosystem management. Cities face unique environmental challenges: outdated infrastructure, high levels of air pollution, a shortage of green spaces, and inefficient waste management. However, the region has significant potential for implementing innovative solutions within the ESG agenda. The session is devoted to the analysis of environmental aspects of CIS cities’ sustainable development, exchange of experience between the participating countries, and the search for ways to integrate environmental strategies into urban planning.

The purpose of the session is to develop recommendations to create environmentally sustainable urban systems in the CIS by introducing green technologies, improving resource management, and strengthening interstate cooperation..

Facts and Problems

Rising air pollution, degraded infrastructure, low energy efficiency and waste accumulation are not only becoming barriers to environmental safety, but also to the socio-economic progress of the region. These challenges require consolidated actions within the CIS based on the adaptation of global ESG principles to regional specifics, as well as local solutions. The discussion will focus on the key issues which determine the environmental state of CIS cities today and shape their development vector towards a sustainable future, including:

  • energy efficiency: high energy consumption due to worn-out communications and outdated standards;
  • waste management: low recycling rates (less than 10% in most CIS countries) and growth of unauthorised landfills;
  • air pollution: exceeding the maximum permissible concentration of PM2.5 (fine solid particles and liquid droplets in the air, with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less) in industrial cities (e.g., Nur-Sultan, Dushanbe, Almaty);
  • lack of green space: less than 15% of urban areas are allocated to parks and recreational areas;
  • water resources: outdated water supply systems and problems with wastewater treatment;
  • diversity of cultural heritage: rich cultural and natural heritage requires conservation and sustainable use.

These facts and issues highlight the need for an integrated approach to implementing SDG 11 aimed at improving the quality of life, ensuring sustainable urban development and promoting the rational use of natural resources.

Discussion Issues

The following issues will help to focus the discussion on specific and practical aspects of SDG 11 implementation and facilitate the exchange of experience and the development of effective strategies for sustainable urban development in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States:

  • adaptation of international ESG standards to the CIS conditions;
  • role of interstate programmes (e.g., the EAEU) in the green infrastructure development;
  • innovations in energy conservation and renewable energy for CIS cities;
  • waste management: the experience of Kazakhstan (transition to RDF technologies) and Belarus (construction of waste recycling plants);
  • conservation of biodiversity in urbanised areas (the case of Moscow, Minsk);
  • involvement of CIS youth in environmental initiatives.

Programme

  • Welcoming Address of the Session Moderator
    Dmitriy Kucher (Russia)
    Director, Department of Rational Nature Management, Associate Professor, Institute of Environmental Engineering, RUDN University
    Andrey Dogadin (Kyrgyzstan)
    Head of the BizExpert Analytical Centre
  • Topic of the report
    Financial Mechanisms for Greening the Urban Sector: How Sustainable Energy Programmes Are Transforming the Housing Stock and Infrastructure of Kyrgyzstan's Cities
    Andrey Dogadin (Kyrgyzstan)
    Head of the BizExpert Analytical Centre
  • Topic of the report
    On the Project of a Water-Green Framework of Territories
    Elina Krasilnikova (Russia)
    Head of the Formation of Water-Green Framework of Territories programme of Sevastopol State University
  • Topic of the report
    Sustainable Development of CIS Cities in Conditions of Uncertainty and New Challenges
    Irina Sosunova (Russia)
    Full Professor, Vice-President, Russian Society of Sociologists, Head of the Centre for Applied Research, National Information Agency "Natural Resources"
  • Topic of the report
    ntegrated Water Resources Management as the Basis for Sustainable Development of Settlements in Arid Regions (the Case of Kashkadarya Region, Uzbekistan)
    Shukhrat Muradov (Uzbekistan)
    Full Professor, Director of the Research Institute for Environmental Protection and Environmental Technologies, Central Asian University of Environmental and Climate Change Studies, Ministry of Ecology of Uzbekistan
  • Topic of the report
    Land Management Support for the Development of Bioeconomy Infrastructure in CIS Countries
    Nikolay Ivanov (Russia)
    Vice-Rector for Social Issues and Educational Work, Dean, Faculty of Real Estate Management and Law, Head of Department, Department of Management and Management Technologies, State University of Land Management
  • Topic of the report
    Innovative Technologies for a Sustainable Urban Environment in the Fight Against Modern Environmental and Social Threats
    Enes Karakhanov (Russia)
    Chairman, International Centre for Combating Crime and Terrorism; International Political Scientist
  • Topic of the report
    Contemporary Problems and Trends in Sustainable Development of Cities in CIS Countries
    Nina Danilina (Russia)
    Head of Department, Department of Urban Planning, National Research University "Moscow State University of Civil Engineering"
  • Topic of the report
    Ensuring Radiation Safety in the City
    Maria Germenchuk (Belarus)
    Associate Professor, Deputy Director, International Sakharov State Environmental Institute, Belarusian State University
  • Topic of the report
    Sustainable Development of Rural Areas in Kazakhstan
    Rumiya Tazitdinova (Kazakhstan)
    Head of Department, Department of Management and Engineering in Environmental Protection, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University
  • Topic of the report
    The Closed Cycle of a Megacity: Economic and Environmental Models for the Reuse of Building Structures in an Urban Environment
    Dmitry Emelyanov (Russia)
    Head of the Department of Metal and Wooden Structures, Voronezh State Technical University
  • Topic of the report
    A New Tool for Sustainable Development of Urbanised Areas: Russian Experience for Use in the Eurasian Space
    Sergey Korostelev
    President of the Inter-Industry Association of Independent Consultants in the Field of Real Estate Valuation, Professor of the Department of Agricultural Production and Management at the State University of Land Management
  • Topic of the report
    Green Agricultural Technologies and Digital Twins of Suburban Agricultural Landscapes (DZZ, ML, LCA) as a Tool for Sustainable Development Policy in CIS Countries
    Olga Kucher
    Junior Researcher at the Institute of Environmental Engineering, Assistant at the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence, RUDN University
  • Topic of the report
    Geo-Ecological Factors of Energy-Efficient Renovation in CIS Countries: Moscow's Experience and Recommendations for Urban Policy
    Vladislav Kiryukhin
    postgraduate student at the Department of Rational Nature Management, Institute of Environmental Engineering, RUDN University
  • Questions, Answers, Summing up