Today, we are introducing you to two people at the forefront of activism and resistance to very concrete environmental issues in their home countries, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

Boris talks to Bermet Borubaeva, urban environment analyst, artist and founder of the initiative #BishkekSmog, on her struggle for clean air in the Kyrgyz capital, the preservation of public transport infrastructure and educating the public on waste.

Angelina speaks to Anisa Abibulloeva, project coordinator of the public youth environmental organisation Little Earth about Tajik civil society and her work on climate risks and adaptation programmes, in particular for women-lead households in the remote mountainous communities.

---

The Eurasian Climate Brief is a podcast dedicated to climate issues in the region stretching from Eastern Europe to Russia down to the Caucasus and Central Asia.

---

Reports cited in the episode:

Governing ‘Green’ Public Infrastructure: The Trolleybus Case in Bishkek
https://berlinergazette.de/the-governance-of-publicly-owned-infrastructure-in-bishkek-the-case-of-trolleybus-demolition/

OHCHR Mandates of the UN Special Rapporteurs — Information received concerning the Bishkek City Council decision to cancel emission-free public transportation (trolleybuses)
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=29765

Bishkek residents seek mediation to restore trolleybus service
https://bankwatch.org/press_release/bishkek-residents-seek-mediation-to-restore-trolleybus-service

Bishkek’s electric trolleybuses under threat from ADB-funded transport overhaul
https://bankwatch.org/publication/bishkek-s-electric-trolleybuses-under-threat-from-adb-funded-transport-overhaul

The last trolleybus of Bishkek — mayor’s decision defies logic and undermines foreign investments in green transport
https://bankwatch.org/blog/the-last-trolleybus-of-bishkek-mayor-s-decision-defies-logic-and-undermines-foreign-investments-in-green-transport

Future of the Bishkek trolleybus
https://bishkek.linieplus.de/en/news-2/ 

IfL Visiting Fellowship — Mobility transition in Central Asia: sustainability, power and International financial institutions 
https://bishkeksmog.info/2025/06/05/ifl/

Air Quality in Bishkek — Assessment of emission sources and roadmap for supporting air quality management
https://www.undp.org/kyrgyzstan/publications/air-quality-bishkek-assessment-emission-sources-and-roadmap-supporting-air-quality-management

#BishkekSmog initiative: bishkeksmog.info, documentary film (eng): youtu.be/9lNipn0UFJ8

Balihar Sanghera & Elmira Satybaldieva: Rentier Capitalism and Its Discontents https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-76303-9

---

This episode is supported by n-ost, a media NGO and European Journalistic Network committed to cross-border and multi-prospective reporting, and made by:

• Boris Schneider, political economist. European Programme Manager at Clean Energy Wire CLEW (Berlin). Has worked as a specialist on Eastern European climate and energy topics, amongst others for n-ost and the German Economic Team.
• Angelina Davydova, environmental/climate journalist. Editor of the magazine Environment and Rights, co-host of the podcast The Day After Tomorrow (Posle Zavtra). Environmental projects coordinator with the Dialogue for Understanding e. V (Berlin). Fellow with the Institute for Global Reconstitution (Berlin). Observer of the UN climate negotiations (UNFCCC) since 2008. Expert/editor of the Ukraine War Environmental CUNFCCC) since 2008. Expert/editor of the Ukraine War Environmental Consequences Work Group.

Jingle: Natallia Kunitskaya (Mustelide)
Sound editing & mixing: Angelo Tripkovsky