How global warming affects Central Asia and the role of water – topics of the expert forum
“The Impact of Global Warming on Central Asia: Assessments and Approaches of the Countries of the Region, as well as Prospects for Regional Cooperation” – this was the detailed title of the online conference that took place on Thursday and brought together analysts from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. They were also joined by scientists from Germany, Hungary, Sweden and others.
The expert community was represented by heads and specialists of research centers, who during the discussion reviewed facts, figures and forecasts on the topic in general and in a number of its specific areas, shared effective national practices in countering challenges and threats to the sustainable development of the region, their vision of interstate cooperation on the climate track.
From Turkmenistan, the Center for Strategic Studies of the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country took part in the forum. Bekdurdy Amansaryev, senior researcher of the Center for Strategic Studies of the Institute of International Relations, drew the attention of colleagues to the water issues of the region and the exceptional role of a balanced water policy in solving common problems based on taking into account the interests of all parties and minimizing damage in the implementation of national and regional socio-economic projects and programs.
In his speech, he touched upon the issues of the Caspian Sea, Amu Darya, rational irrigation and the global shortage of fresh water. However, if humanity has only recently encountered this problem, then the majority of the inhabitants of the Central Asian region, and primarily the Turkmen, have lived in conditions of limited water resources throughout their history. And thanks to the ability to rationally use water resources, they learned to grow rich crops, cultivating white wheat for the first time in the world ...
After an excursion into the history, brief, fluent, but full of vivid examples of the hydrotechnical inventions of the Turkmens, the speech continued with a story about modern innovations in the water management sector of Turkmenistan. Among them is a unique project to create a giant artificial lake in the very heart of the Karakum Desert, where, using a system of collectors, waste water is diverted from the fields of the whole country for reuse in irrigation after cleaning.
Thanks to the implementation of this project, the area around the lake has changed beyond recognition. Where previously there were only dunes, water-loving plants and conditions for the development of animal husbandry and fishing, the construction of villages and industrial facilities have already appeared. That is, the project, in addition to its enormous hydromeliorative significance, also contributes to the solution of urgent environmental, climatic and socio-economic problems in line with sustainable development.
“At the same time, the international water initiatives put forward by the leadership of Turkmenistan are of an extremely specific nature, “tied” to the real needs of the population of the countries of the region,” the speaker emphasized. – Among them: proposals for the development of a UN Special Program for the Aral Sea Basin, the adoption of the Central Asian Water Strategy, the implementation of the Regional Action Plan for Environmental Protection as a unified environmental program of the countries of Central Asia and a number of other measures.
The position of Turkmenistan is fundamental and boils down to several points, according to which, water and energy problems should be solved on the basis of universally recognized norms of international law, taking into account the interests of each country, with the active participation of international organizations.
ORIENT news
