Porn bans, biofuels and blistering heat: Stories from Central Asia

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, right, and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attend a ceremonial welcome in Astana during her official visit in late May.

This week we are looking at three very different but equally revealing stories from across Central Asia.

First, we begin in Kyrgyzstan, where parliament passed a new law banning the online distribution of pornographic content. On the face of it, this may seem like a niche issue, but it speaks volumes about the evolving moral agenda of President Sadyr Japarov’s administration. Although proponents claim the law will uphold national values and protect youth, critics argue it is largely symbolic, and easily circumvented with VPNs.

Later, we turn to climate change, and in particular, a sobering new World Bank report titled Unlivable: How Heat is Reshaping Cities in Europe and Central Asia. The report warns of rising death tolls, falling labour productivity, and overwhelmed healthcare systems as heat stress intensifies across the region. But it also offers hope, so long as authorities act thoughtfully through tree-planting, housing upgrades, and local governance reform. We explore what solutions are on the table and whether Central Asia’s institutions are agile enough to act on them in time.

In our interview segment, we speak with Marco Beretta, president of the Italian-Kazakh Trade Association. Beretta shares insights into how Italy’s deepening commercial relationship with Kazakhstan is expanding beyond hydrocarbons. He discusses emerging investment in biofuels, sustainable aviation fuel, and small-to-medium enterprises. We also reflect on the significance of Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s visit to Astana in May and what it revealed about European strategic interests in the so-called Middle Corridor.

Suggested reading

Unlivable: How Cities in Europe and Central Asia Can Survive and Thrive in a Hotter Future https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/eca/publication/unlivable-how-cities-in-europe-and-central-asia-can-survive-and-thrive-in-a-hotter-future

Central Asia Barometer research on domestic violence and online content https://ca-barometer.org/assets/files/froala/207fb9867dee0c7a6e8f0968e4cd2acd4a16895d.pdf