Turkmenistan and Spain have discussed closer cooperation to address desertification in Central Asia, including the possible creation of a regional center focused on land degradation. The talks took place in Ashgabat during a meeting between Turkmenistan’s Minister of Environmental Protection and Spain’s ambassador to Russia, Ricardo Martínez Vázquez, who is also accredited in Turkmenistan.

The discussions followed Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s proposal at the United Nations General Assembly to establish a specialized regional center to combat desertification in Central Asia. The initiative is intended to strengthen cooperation among regional states and attract international expertise and funding.

Image: mineco.gov.tm

Desertification is a growing concern across Central Asia, a region where arid and semi-arid landscapes dominate much of the territory. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification defines desertification as land degradation in dry areas caused by climatic variations and human activities.

According to the UNCCD, more than 20% of land in Central Asia is already degraded, affecting around 30% of the population. Much of this damage is linked to unsustainable water use, intensive agriculture, overgrazing, and the long-term effects of climate change.

Spain’s interest in desertification in Turkmenistan is rooted in their shared status as nations on the front lines of climate change. As one of the European countries most vulnerable to soil degradation, Spain co-launched the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA) to export its expertise in “dryland” management and water conservation, which is directly applicable to the arid landscapes of Central Asia. This common challenge has fostered a diplomatic partnership focused on the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), where countries exchange strategies for land restoration and drought resilience.

Beyond environmental solidarity, Spain views Turkmenistan as a critical emerging market for its advanced engineering and agricultural sectors. Major Spanish firms, such as TYPSA, are already active in the region, providing technical assistance for massive infrastructure projects, such as desalination plants on the Caspian Sea, and modernizing irrigation systems for thousands of hectares of farmland. This commercial engagement is bolstered by Spain’s support for Turkmenistan’s proposal to host a Regional Center for Climate Change Technologies, which would serve as a hub for Spanish green tech in Central Asia.

The bilateral relationship also aligns with the broader EU Strategy for Central Asia, which prioritizes environmental stability as a means of ensuring regional security. By helping Turkmenistan manage its dwindling water resources and combat the encroaching Karakum Desert, Spain contributes to the EU for a Green Turkmenistan initiative. This cooperation helps prevent resource-driven migration and instability, and strengthens trade ties in a region that is becoming increasingly vital for global energy and logistics.

One of the most visible examples of desertification in the region is the collapse of the Aral Sea. Once the world’s fourth-largest inland lake, the Aral Sea began shrinking rapidly in the 1960s after its feeder rivers were diverted for large-scale irrigation projects. By the early 2000s, the sea had lost roughly 90% of its volume.

Desert ships on the former Aral seabed, Moynaq, Uzbekistan; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland

The retreat of the Aral Sea created a new desert known as the Aralkum, covering more than five million hectares. The exposed seabed generates frequent dust storms that carry salt and chemical residues across Central Asia, damaging farmland and harming human health. The World Bank estimates that tens of millions of tons of dust and sand are lifted annually from the dried seabed.

Beyond the Aral Sea basin, desertification is advancing in steppe and pasturelands across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Rising temperatures and more frequent droughts are worsening soil moisture loss and accelerating erosion. According to the World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report, Asia is currently warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, a trend that has accelerated heatwaves, droughts, and other climate extremes across the region.

Governments in the region have launched national and regional initiatives to slow land degradation. Both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have planted large areas of drought-resistant saxaul shrubs on the bed of the former Aral Sea to help stabilize soil and reduce dust storms. Kazakhstan has also invested in the partial restoration of the North Aral Sea through infrastructure projects that have raised water levels and revived some fisheries.

All five Central Asian countries are parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and have endorsed the global goal of achieving land degradation neutrality by 2030. Regional cooperation mechanisms, including the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, are aiming to coordinate environmental responses and attract donor support.

The proposed regional desertification center discussed by Turkmenistan and Spain would add to these efforts by creating a permanent platform for research, training, and policy coordination. While details remain under discussion, officials see the idea as a way to pool expertise and improve long-term resilience in one of the world’s most environmentally stressed regions.

As climate pressures intensify, the success of such initiatives may determine whether Central Asia can slow the spread of deserts and protect livelihoods tied to fragile ecosystems.