Kyrgyzstan is set to launch Central Asia’s first large-scale tree-planting project funded through carbon credits, in a landmark move toward reducing its carbon footprint and expanding its role in global climate finance.
The ambitious initiative aims to plant over 10 million trees across 25,000 hectares in the Issyk-Kul region, with the potential to attract up to $180 million in climate financing.
The project was discussed on April 8 during a meeting between Adylbek Kasymaliyev, Chairman of Kyrgyzstan’s Cabinet of Ministers, and representatives of Valor Carbon, a UK-based firm specializing in climate finance. It will be implemented through the sale of carbon credits, officially marking Kyrgyzstan’s entry into international green finance markets.
According to Valor Carbon, this will be the largest initiative of its kind in Central Asia and could unlock new opportunities in sectors such as transportation, food processing, hospitality, beekeeping, and eco-tourism.
The new program aligns with Kyrgyzstan’s broader environmental campaign, Jashyl Muras (Green Heritage), launched by President Sadyr Japarov in March 2022. The campaign envisions planting 5-6 million saplings annually nationwide.
In 2024, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision reported that 8,167,000 saplings were planted as part of the initiative, with a survival rate of 64%.
