BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. To comprehensively
address the challenges of protecting mountain ecosystems and
effectively utilizing their natural potential, while taking into
account the specific and unique characteristics of mountainous
regions, it is proposed to develop a model for the sustainable
development of mountain settlements based on the example of Central
Asia and the Caucasus, a member of the Committee on
Entrepreneurship, Competition, and Industry of the Legislative
Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, Boriy Alikhanov, said,
Trend reports.


He made the remark at the event “Sustainable development of
mountain settlement,” held as part of WUF13.


''In recent decades, humanity’s demand for water, food,
comfortable living conditions, and economic resources has been
growing at an alarming rate. This is harming the Earth’s natural
resources and leading to their depletion,'' he noted.


Alikhanov emphasized that the climate in Central Asia, including
Uzbekistan, is becoming drier and hotter every year:


“The number of severe dust storms and blizzards is increasing.
As a result of abnormal climate changes, vulnerable and fragile
mountain ecosystems are under the greatest pressure. In the
mountains and foothills, overgrazing leads to soil degradation and
a reduction in forest cover, which creates a risk of more frequent
landslides.


All these factors together lead to a decline in biodiversity and
a weakening of the biomass of mountain ecosystems.”


He noted that the future of mountain settlements depends on two
key factors:


“Climate change and human economic activity. In this regard,
there is a need to prepare forecasts for the short- and medium-term
use of mountain natural resources, taking into account the impact
of climate on the environment.”







The committee member added that in some countries, the specific
characteristics of mountain settlements are only partially taken
into account in national socioeconomic and legal documents:


“On the one hand, this creates problems in implementing these
documents at the regional level; on the other hand, it means that
programs designed primarily for lowland areas do not yield the
desired results in mountainous regions.


Today, the fourth day of the WUF13 conference is taking place in
Baku.


The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the
New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women
and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban
prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and
Azerbaijani flags also took place.


The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit,
featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis,
urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the
opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a
significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin
American region and preparing for WUF14.


The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of
events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe
and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence
and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and
sustainable transport.


WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered
participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held
under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and
communities,” the forum brings together governments, international
organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to
strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban
development.