The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia

What The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia does

The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC, РЭЦЦА) is an independent, non-commercial, non-political international organization established by interstate agreement among the five Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) with the support of the European Commission and UNDP. Operations began in 2001 after Kazakhstan ratified the host agreement; the organization is headquartered in Almaty, Kazakhstan, with country offices in all five Central Asian capitals. CAREC is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors (Council of Managers) drawn from ministries, business, donors, and NGOs across the region.

CAREC's service portfolio is organized around five core programs: (1) Environmental Management Programme, (2) Education for Sustainable Development Programme, (3) Water Initiatives Support Programme, (4) Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Programme, and (5) Interprogram Activity. Technical assets include Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approaches for transboundary cooperation, Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) frameworks, the Green Pack multimedia education resource (including a glaciers module), and the Covenant of Mayors - East initiative through which 12 Central Asian cities have signed onto sustainable energy commitments. Underlying capabilities span environmental management methodology, water resource modeling (GIS, ArcGIS, SWAT training), climate change adaptation protocols, and educational content production tailored to regional conditions.

The revenue model is grant-funded rather than commercial. CAREC is financed primarily through international donor funding from the European Commission, UNDP, GIZ (Germany), USAID, Norway, Japan, ADB, and EBRD, with project grants typically running 2-5 years. From 2001 to 2014, the organization implemented over 250 projects totaling approximately USD 30 million. Secondary revenue comes from conference facility rental at the Almaty headquarters (a 40-person hall and a 12-person meeting room named after Laszlo Leitold) and fee-based technical training (GIS, SWAT modeling, climate adaptation). Customers span Central Asian government ministries (environmental protection, water resources, sustainable development), local municipalities participating in Covenant of Mayors, NGOs and civil society, schools/universities (20 schools in Kyrgyzstan received water quality labs via OSCE/Japan funding), and private-sector demo-site partners (Atyrau Oil Refinery, Bishkek CHP, JV MAN Auto Uzbekistan).

Name

The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia

Legal name

Региональный экологический центр Центральной Азии (The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia)

Website

https://carecnet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) is an intergovernmental non-profit founded in 2001 by the five Central Asian states with EU and UNDP support, headquartered in Almaty. It delivers donor-funded programs on water, climate, education, and environmental policy across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Cooperation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Risk Management (BPADALAK), Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA), Climate Adaptation & Resilience Programs (BPADALAD), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

Keywords

• Environmental management services
• Water resources management
• Climate change adaptation
• Sustainable development education
• Transboundary environmental cooperation

Headquarters

HQ city

Almaty

HQ country

Kazakhstan

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. International Donor Funding: Primary funding from international donors including European Commission, UNDP, bilateral development agencies (Germany, Norway, Japan, USA). Projects are typically grant-funded with durations of 2-5 years.
2. Conference and Training Services: Rental of conference facilities (40-person conference hall, 12-person meeting room), interpretation services, and technical training delivery. Revenue from service fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CAREC designs and implements regional environmental programs and projects across Central Asia, covering water resources management, climate change adaptation, sustainable energy, education for sustainable development, and environmental governance. It delivers donor-funded project implementation, capacity building, technical training, conferences, and educational resources (such as the Green Pack) to governments, NGOs, environmental professionals, and educational institutions in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Product overview

The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) operates as a multi-program environmental organization rather than a commercial product company. Its portfolio consists of five core programs: Environmental Management Programme, Education for Sustainable Development Programme, Water Initiatives Support Programme, Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Programme, and Interprogram Activity. Each core program contains numerous sub-projects addressing specific environmental challenges in Central Asia. The organization also delivers educational resources (such as the Green Pack), implements regional initiatives (Covenant of Mayors - East), and provides training programs (Central Asian Leadership Programme). Supporting services include conference facility rental. The programs collectively address environmental governance, water resources, climate change, sustainable energy, education, and regional cooperation across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Environmental Management Programme A core program focused on supporting intersectoral dialogue on environmental status, promoting mandatory application of environmental legislation, advancing effective environmental management tools, and supporting local environmental initiatives across Central Asian governments and stakeholders.
• Education for Sustainable Development Programme A program developing dialogue and networks for education for sustainable development, advancing legislative and institutional frameworks, harmonizing national educational standards, and developing educational materials for schools and universities across Central Asia.
• Water Initiatives Support Programme A program applying integrated water resources management approaches, supporting regional cooperation in water management and transboundary water resources, and harmonizing water management standards in Central Asia for governments and water authorities.
• Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Programme A program promoting best practices for climate change mitigation and adaptation, advancing Kyoto Protocol mechanisms, and improving energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment in Central Asia for governments and energy stakeholders.
• AWARE Project (Raising Awareness on Most Urgent Environmental Problems in Central Asia) EU-funded project (EUR 950,000) running 2011-2013 across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, focused on raising public awareness about water management, environmental management, and climate change issues for the general population and policymakers.
• Covenant of Mayors - East European Commission initiative supported by CAREC to promote sustainable energy planning in cities, with participation from 12 cities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan for municipal governments and city stakeholders.
• Central Asian Leadership Programme on Environment for Sustainable Development Annual leadership development program bringing together environmental professionals from Central Asian countries to build regional cooperation capacity on environmental issues, with the 2014 fifth cohort expanding to include Afghanistan.
• Conference Facility Rental Service Rental of a 40-person conference hall and a 12-person meeting room (named after Laszlo Leitold), with equipment rental, simultaneous translation, coffee breaks, and Wi-Fi internet available for external organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 projects implemented totaling approximately $30 million USD since 2001
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Central Asian Institute for Environmental Research (Kazakhstan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2026Partnership for joint rainwater harvesting and reuse initiative with pilot sites in Ashgabat and Avaza National Tourist Zone, Turkmenistan.
• CAREC Project Office TurkmenistancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2026Turkmenistan's implementing office for joint rainwater harvesting and reuse project with Kazakhstan, developing engineering solutions for water collection and filtration.
• Coca-ColaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Partnership through Coca-Cola and UNDP initiative for Caspian Green Pack environmental education program promoting energy efficiency in schools.
• UN Environment Programme (UNEP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Partner in Fourth Central Asian Leadership Programme on Sustainable Development. Supports climate change and environmental management initiatives.
• OSCEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Cooperation with OSCE Center in Astana and OSCE presence across Central Asia for environmental security and water cooperation initiatives.
• Regional Environmental Centers (REC) NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Part of network including REC of Central and Eastern Europe, REC Caucasus, REC Moldova, and REC Russia for sharing best practices and regional cooperation.
• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Founding partner and major donor of CAREC. Supported establishment in 2001 and continues to fund regional environmental projects through various initiatives including AWARE project (950,000 EUR), Covenant of Mayors - East, and FLERMONECA.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Founding partner of CAREC along with five Central Asian governments and European Commission. Joint initiatives include GEF projects for Aral Sea basin ecosystem conservation, sustainable energy programs, and capacity building.
• Republic of KazakhstancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Host country and founding member. Ratified the Agreement on Operating Conditions in 2001. Houses CAREC headquarters in Almaty. Provides institutional support and participates in governance through Council of Managers.
• Kyrgyz RepubliccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Founding member of CAREC with active country office in Bishkek. Participates in all regional programs and hosts leadership training events.
• Republic of TajikistancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Founding member with country office in Dushanbe. Active in water initiatives, climate change adaptation, and transboundary cooperation projects.
• TurkmenistancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Founding member with country office in Ashgabat. Participates in environmental protection and desertification combat initiatives.
• Republic of UzbekistancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Founding member with country office in Tashkent. Active in sustainable energy, environmental education, and ecosystem services projects.

Scale indicators5 records

Broad incumbents

• Asian Development Bank Central and West Asia Department: Listed CAREC donor and partner; runs large climate adaptation and water programs across the same five countries, with greater financial firepower on infrastructure-linked projects.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): German development agency that funds and implements large-scale environmental and water programs in Central Asia (e.g., CASEP). Competes for the same donor pool and often partners with or subcontracts to CAREC.
• UNEP Central Asia Office: Core CAREC partner and convener of the Central Asian Leadership Programme; UNEP's regional climate, water, and biodiversity work directly overlaps CAREC's Climate Change and Water Initiatives programs.
• UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS: Founding partner of CAREC and a major direct implementer of climate, water, and governance programs across the five Central Asian states, often overlapping on themes such as Aral Sea restoration and NDC support.
• World Bank Central Asia Energy-Water Development Program: Major funder and implementer of large water and climate programs in Central Asia, competing for the same donor mandates and often working with the same national ministries CAREC engages.
• OSCE Programme Office in Astana: Long-standing CAREC partner in water cooperation and environmental security, with broader political-security mandate but overlapping Central Asia environmental programming.

Regional players

• CAMP4ASB (Central Asia Multi-Country Programme on Water for Agribusiness): Regional water/agribusiness initiative covering similar Central Asia geography with a narrower water-agriculture focus; potential partner or competitor for transboundary water program funding.

Direct peers

• Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC CEE): Founding REC network member that operates under the same Regional Environmental Centers model across Central and Eastern Europe. Closest organizational peer, sharing governance template, program structure, and donor relationships.
• Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus: Sibling REC covering the South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia) with similar mandate on environmental cooperation, donor-funded programs, and country offices. Direct institutional analog and REC network partner.
• IUCN Central and West Asia Office: Conservation and biodiversity organization operating across Central Asia with comparable donor-funded programming, capacity building, and policy advisory work overlapping CAREC's environmental management portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/carececo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-regional-environmental-centre-for-central-asia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia