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President Serdar Berdimuhamedov has announced that Turkmenistan will host a high-level summit focusing on the ecological challenges of the Caspian Sea in early October 2026. Speaking at the plenary session of the Regional Ecological Summit in Astana, the President expressed confidence that the upcoming meeting would initiate a new phase of strategic cooperation among Caspian littoral states aimed at preserving the sea’s unique natural environment.
Highlighting Turkmenistan's proactive stance, the President recalled the "Caspian Ecological Initiative" previously introduced at the United Nations. Ashgabat has already developed a comprehensive concept for implementing this initiative and shared it with all Caspian neighboring nations. The October summit is expected to serve as a decisive platform for turning these conceptual proposals into actionable regional policies.
The President also drew attention to the continuity of Turkmenistan's environmental diplomacy. He noted that in August 2025, during a UN conference for landlocked developing countries, Turkmenistan successfully organized a consultative meeting on the Caspian's ecology at the deputy prime ministerial level. This consistent approach demonstrates the country’s long-term commitment to addressing marine biodiversity loss and pollution.
The Regional Ecological Summit currently underway in Astana (April 22–24) provides a critical backdrop for these announcements, bringing together thousands of delegates from nearly 100 nations and international organizations under UN auspices. In addition to the main sessions, a meeting of the Council of the Heads of State-founders of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea is scheduled, further emphasizing the interconnected nature of water and environmental security in the broader Eurasian region.
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Ecological Shift: Golden Jackals Pro Projected to Inhabit 75% of the European Continent
Today in 06:53Once restricted mainly to the Balkans and the Black Sea coastal regions, golden jackals are rapidly expanding their footprint across Europe. According to a landmark study by an international research team published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, these adaptable predators could eventually inhabit up to 75% of the European continent—nearly a sixfold expansion from their historical range. Scientists arrived at these conclusions after monitoring nearly 9,000 sampling sites across multiple European nations.
Recent sightings and acoustic tracking confirm that jackals have established populations in the Czech Republic, the Baltic region, and even Scandinavia. The species thrives in areas with mild winters, mixed agricultural landscapes, and proximity to water sources. Regional climate warming has transformed previously uninhabitable northern areas into suitable habitats, while farming landscapes offer abundant food sources and coverage.
Biologists attribute this unprecedented expansion primarily to the historical decline of wolf populations, which naturally suppress jackal numbers and limit their movement. Smaller than wolves but slightly larger than foxes, jackals feed on small rodents, carrion, plants, and fruits. Their high ecological adaptability allows them to settle efficiently into newly colonized territories without human interference.
However, their entry into Western and Southern Europe, including countries like France and Spain, poses potential ecological consequences. Environmentalists warn that the arrival of jackals could disrupt local ecosystems and threaten endangered ground-nesting steppe birds and smaller wildlife across the Iberian Peninsula.
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