Europe & CIS

Scientists in Central Asia join forces in response to glaciers melting at alarming rate

ALMATY, Kazakhstan – 21 June – Scientists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are meeting in Almaty this week to discuss how they can cooperate to better monitor melting glaciers in Central Asia.

Fresh water is fast becoming one of the world’s most valuable global public goods – nowhere more apparent than in Central Asia, which is highly dependent on the fresh water that comes from its glaciers. Natural glacial melting provides much of the water flow for major Central Asian rivers such as the Syr Darya River and Amu Darya River. With this water supply in jeopardy due to accelerated melting from global warming, the region’s water, energy and food security are under threat. Additional threats from glacial melting include glacial lake outburst floods, landslides and mudslides.

Field survey team in the Karatag mountains Photo: A. Homidov, 2006

Collaborating with national partners, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), UNDP's Climate Risk Management in Central Asia programme  has collected and synthesized all available information on glacial melting in Central Asia. Representatives from hydro meteorological services, scientific institutions from the five Central Asian countries, national and international non governmental organizations (NGOs), national experts, as well as representatives of International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), UNEP, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UNDP are meeting on 24 and 25 June to discuss the results, including gaps in data that have been identified and will agree how to improve data collection and sharing in the future. The meeting is supported by Finland through the Environment and Security initiative (ENVSEC).

Valuable information exists about glaciers in the region, but this is a first attempt to review and synthesize the information, which until now has been scattered across the region’s research institutions, ministries and donor organizations. Projects and studies have also been largely restricted to individual glaciers or glacier regions.

Getting the big picture will allow countries to better quantify the risks posed by a reduction of water flow from glaciers – and respond. With this new information, partners are also getting a good idea of the funding required to carry out climate change adaptation initiatives, and together will mobilize resources.

The Climate Risk Management in Central Asia programme is working closely with national partners – at central, sub-national and local levels – to strengthen their capacities for managing climate risks and opportunities. This includes supporting the five Central Asian countries as they adjust or develop their national processes, strategies and legislation to address risks posed by current and future climate change. As they carry out national climate adaptation activities, countries will be able to access expertise in analyzing and sharing climate change information, and project coordination from a multi-country network of specialists in climate change including climatologists, agronomists, hydrologists, economists and sociologists.

The predicted state of glaciation in 2050 in Kyrgyzstan compared to the 1960s. Existing glaciers are marked with dark blue, extinct glaciers marked with red. (Kyrgyzstan Second National Communication, 2009)

Capacities for implementing initiatives will also be strengthened through support to potential activities such as: introducing drought-resilient crop species and agro forestry; promoting drip irrigation and water harvesting measures and soil restoration techniques; and developing financial mechanisms at the village level that would provide incentives to farmers with livestock to follow sustainable land management practices.  

*Cover Photo: N. Mustaeva, 2006 - Reflection of the Fann mountains in Alaudin lakes 

For more information please contact Anna Kaplina, UNDP Programme Analyst anna.kaplina@undp.org

 

 

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