Environment - The Times Of Central Asia

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Tourism Development

Uzbekistan Faces Criticism Over Charvak Tourism Project

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, a major tourism development project on the shores of Uzbekistan’s Charvak Reservoir has sparked public criticism and environmental concern. The proposed resort complex, Sea Breeze Uzbekistan, has come under fire for proceeding without open public consultation, prompting a wave of backlash on social media. The hashtag #SaveChorvoq has emerged as a rallying cry for those demanding transparency and environmental accountability. Local Discontent and Environmental Concerns According to climatologist Erkin Abdulakhatov, preliminary construction activity has already begun along the reservoir’s shoreline. He warned that large-scale development near the water could negatively impact the local ecosystem and alter weather patterns. “If these promises are not fulfilled, the public has the right to organize a petition against mega construction based on the Aarhus Convention,” Abdulakhatov stated. His comments were later shared by Rasul Kusherbayev, an adviser to the Minister of Ecology, on his Telegram channel. However, Kusherbayev added that no official confirmation of construction has been released. Investor Response and Environmental Commitments Investor Emin Agalarov, the driving force behind the Sea Breeze brand, attempted to reassure the public during a press event in Baku. He emphasized that no construction would begin until full public consultations, environmental impact assessments, and technical planning are completed. “We will carry out construction only after these steps,” Agalarov said. During a joint press tour to Azerbaijan on July 8-9, Uzbek officials and journalists visited the Sea Breeze complex near Baku to observe the project's environmental safeguards. Hosted by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Ecology and the State Center for Environmental Expertise, the visit aimed to assess compliance with international standards for water, soil, and engineering practices. “I want Sea Breeze to become the most environmentally friendly project in any country, whether Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Montenegro, or Kazakhstan,” Agalarov told the delegation, noting the project’s planned infrastructure, clean beaches, and green public spaces. Project Specifications and Safeguards Sea Breeze Baku was connected to a centralized sewage system in 2024, replacing more than 100 small treatment plants with a modern collection network that serves a 50-kilometer coastal area. A similar system is now proposed for Charvak. To protect the reservoir’s shoreline, project planners intend to shift the development zone 400 to 500 meters away from the water, significantly exceeding the legal minimum buffer of 50 meters. The area in between would feature parks, walking paths, public beaches, and recreational infrastructure. Agalarov also proposed a ring collector system for wastewater treatment along the entire Charvak coastline, a move he said would benefit both the resort and the wider ecosystem. Government Oversight and Expert Involvement Uzbekistan’s Minister of Ecology, Aziz Abdukhakimov, has expressed cautious support, stating: “Partners must follow Green-Based Solutions. We will fully support projects that meet ecological standards. Special attention must go to protecting water resources. All risks must be assessed by qualified experts.” To ensure accountability, the ministry has announced the formation of an International Environmental Council for Charvak, which will include independent specialists tasked with overseeing public dialogue, environmental assessments, and project...

Water Security

Melting Mountains, Drying Futures: Central Asia Confronts Water Emergency

Central Asian countries are mobilizing against an emerging water crisis as a United Nations report highlights the vulnerability of mountain water systems to climate change. Identifying ranges like the Tien Shan and the Pamirs, the UN World Water Development Report 2025 – Mountains and Glaciers: Water Towers – warns that rapid glacier melt and erratic snowfall are threatening vital freshwater supplies worldwide. According to the report, mountains provide up to 60% of the world’s annual freshwater flows, with over two billion people depending directly on water from mountain sources. This risk is particularly acute in Central Asia: a UN drought outlook noted that rising temperatures and shrinking snowpack in the high mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are accelerating glacier retreat, posing a “long-term threat to the region’s water security.” Half of rural mountain communities in developing countries already face food insecurity, and receding glaciers could impact two-thirds of all irrigated agriculture globally – a dire scenario for Central Asia’s irrigation-dependent economies. Rivers like the Amu Darya and Syr Darya are fed by glacier runoff and support downstream agriculture, hydropower, and municipal needs in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. But climate-driven glacial retreat, inefficient irrigation, and aging infrastructure have already pushed the region toward a breaking point. [caption id="attachment_33952" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Lake Karakul in Tajikistan is expanding due to melting glaciers; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] Kazakhstan Steps Up Leading the regional response, Kazakhstan has launched sweeping reforms to modernize its water infrastructure and governance. The country has committed to building 42 new reservoirs, refurbishing 14,000 kilometers of irrigation canals, and investing heavily in digital water monitoring and conservation. Established in September 2023, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is coordinating the overhaul under an updated national Water Code. The government has also launched an integrated water portal, hydro.gov.kz, and pledged to digitize more than 3,500 kilometers of canals for precise flow tracking. In an address at the Astana International Forum, Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev framed water as a “powerful driver of cooperation, sustainable development and regional stability,” urging closer regional coordination. Kazakhstan is also leading environmental restoration efforts. As the current chair of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), it is overseeing projects to rehabilitate the North Aral Sea, including raising the Kokaral Dam to restore water levels and fisheries. In 2024 alone, local irrigation reforms in Kyzylorda saved 200 million cubic meters of water, which was redirected toward the shrinking sea. [caption id="attachment_12017" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] The Kokaral Dam in Kazakhstan; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] International Support and Financing Kazakhstan’s strategy has been backed by a plethora of international partners. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has financed over €255 million in water and wastewater projects in Kazakhstan, including a €96.4 million sovereign loan for a new treatment plant in Aktobe. Meanwhile, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and UNDP have launched a regional partnership to expand access to modern irrigation, digitize water flows, and establish training centers. “We must act very quickly and...

Environment

Kyrgyzstan Eases Plastic Ban to Comply with EAEU Standards

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has signed amendments to the law “On Limiting the Circulation of Polymer Film Bags and Plastic Items in the Territory of the Kyrgyz Republic,” easing some of the country’s planned restrictions on single-use plastics. The law was originally passed by parliament on June 17, 2025. Initially set to take full effect on January 1, 2027, the legislation included a sweeping ban on the production, import, and sale of several plastic products, including: Polymer film bags All types of disposable plastic tableware Disposable plastic food packaging PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles Disposable plastic egg cartons Plastic coffee capsules Grocery bags Under the newly adopted amendments, PET bottles and disposable plastic food packaging have been removed from the list of banned items. Additionally, the original ban on disposable plastic tableware has been narrowed to apply only to non-recyclable products. Aligning with Regional Trade Rules The changes were introduced to align Kyrgyzstan’s environmental legislation with the regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. Several of the proposed restrictions, particularly the ban on PET bottles and plastic food containers, had sparked concern among domestic and regional businesses, who warned of potential disruptions to manufacturing and cross-border trade. Industry groups argued that the original provisions would have conflicted with common EAEU standards, complicating compliance and affecting supply chains. Environmental Efforts Continue in Issyk-Kul Despite the softening of national restrictions, local efforts to combat plastic pollution remain in place. As The Times of Central Asia previously reported, Kyrgyzstan banned the use and sale of plastic bags in Issyk-Kul’s resort and recreational areas as of March 2025. The move is part of a broader initiative to protect the lake’s fragile ecosystem and preserve environmental cleanliness.

Ecology

Environmentalists Urge Relocation of Hyrasia One Green Hydrogen Project

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources is facing growing pressure from environmental experts to alter the course of the country's flagship green hydrogen initiative. The Public Council under the Ministry has recommended relocating key infrastructure of the €50 billion ($55 billion) Hyrasia One project, citing threats to biodiversity in the Mangistau region. Developed by the Swedish-German company Svevind Energy Group, Hyrasia One is poised to become Kazakhstan’s largest green hydrogen production facility, with plans to generate up to two million tonnes annually by 2030 using solar and wind power. But environmental groups argue that parts of the planned development risk causing irreversible ecological damage. In an official statement, the Public Council advised that the proposed “Rahim” and “Kanagat” renewable energy clusters be relocated to previously industrialized zones, such as former oil and gas fields, rather than pristine ecosystems home to endangered species. “It would be more practical for the company as well, as such territories already have existing infrastructure, including roads, power lines, and cellular coverage,” the council noted in its published protocol. Ecologists warn that the current project layout intersects with the habitat and migratory routes of the goitered gazelle, a species listed in Kazakhstan’s Red Book of endangered fauna. The installation of wind turbines, solar panels, roads, and transmission lines in these areas could fragment ecosystems and disrupt transboundary conservation initiatives involving Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. The development risks affecting several protected areas, including the Ustyurt Nature Reserve (and its proposed “Southern Ustyurt” extension), Kyzylsai Nature Park in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan’s “South Ustyurt” National Park, and Turkmenistan’s Gaplangyr Reserve, home to the Sarykamysh and Shasenem wildlife sanctuaries. Council members also raised legal and procedural issues, alleging that land allocations for the project were made without proper legal oversight and that public consultations during the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process were inadequate. They further claim that Hyrasia One representatives have declined to attend two separate council sessions dedicated to the project. The council has formally submitted its findings and relocation proposal to the Presidential Administration, the Government of Kazakhstan, and regional authorities in Mangystau. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Hyrasia One is central to Kazakhstan’s ambitions to become a key exporter of green energy to the European Union. The project may also benefit from emerging energy cooperation with China, further raising the stakes for its execution and environmental impact.

Floods

Heavy Rains Flood Newly Renovated Streets and Market in Southern Kyrgyzstan

A sudden downpour on July 10 inundated parts of Osh, southern Kyrgyzstan’s largest city, flooding recently renovated streets, a newly opened municipal market, and multiple residential and public buildings. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES), the city’s drainage system overflowed after several hours of heavy rainfall. Three private homes and the basement of an apartment block were submerged, along with the Family Medicine Center and the State Archive. Emergency services evacuated nine residents to safety, while 80 personnel, including firefighters and rescue teams, were deployed to respond to the crisis. Authorities blamed the flooding on clogged drainage canals and irrigation ditches. “The primary cause of the flooding was the failure to properly clean drainage systems in several districts,” the MES reported. “Accumulated garbage and debris blocked water flow, leading to road flooding and hindering pedestrian movement.” Despite earlier instructions from Emergency Situations Minister Boobek Azhikeev to clear stormwater infrastructure in anticipation of the rainy season, the preparation appears to have been incomplete or ineffective. Osh Mayor Jenishbek Toktorbaev toured the affected areas, met with residents and business owners, and ordered an expedited cleanup operation. Videos released by city authorities show the mayor wading through flooded streets and assessing damage. [caption id="attachment_33891" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] @mchs.gov.kg[/caption] The timing of the flooding was particularly ironic. Just days earlier, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Kamchybek Tashiev had visited Osh, praising Toktorbaev’s urban development initiatives and presenting him with a ceremonial car. Under Toktorbaev’s leadership, the city has invested in infrastructure upgrades, including road reconstruction and the demolition of illegal structures. However, traders at the newly inaugurated municipal market voiced frustration over poor planning. Speaking to local media, they said the site lacked adequate drainage and roofing, leaving commercial aisles waterlogged. “They rushed the relocation,” one vendor said. “The market should have been completed before moving us from the old site.” Residents noted that such flooding has become a recurring issue during Osh’s rainy season, with stormwater systems consistently overwhelmed by downpours.

Climate Change

Kyrgyzstan Endorses National Program to Strengthen Climate Cooperation with Green Climate Fund

Kyrgyzstan has taken a step toward climate resilience by approving its Country Program for Cooperation with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) through 2027. The program defines national priorities for climate action and outlines a portfolio of projects seeking international funding. The GCF, the principal financial mechanism under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), supports developing nations in mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Kyrgyzstan’s newly approved framework highlights several priority initiatives: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the housing sector Enhancing ecosystem resilience and introducing climate-smart water treatment systems in the Issyk-Kul region Promoting climate-resilient agriculture and water resource management in the Batken region Improving disaster preparedness and access to climate data Expanding climate finance mechanisms for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and households According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision, Kyrgyzstan mobilized significant international climate finance between 2010 and 2023. Major contributors included the World Bank ($303.7 million), the Asian Development Bank ($194.4 million), German institutions and climate funds ($73.1 million), and the United Nations Development Programme ($63.1 million). These funds were disbursed as a mix of grants and concessional loans. Data from the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) indicate that energy projects received the largest share of this climate financing ($306.6 million), followed by agriculture, forestry, and fisheries ($140.5 million), and water-related projects ($122.8 million). Between 2011 and 2021, Kyrgyzstan received approximately $620 million in international technical assistance for climate-related initiatives, with grants comprising about 81% of total funding. The new Country Program reflects Kyrgyzstan’s broader commitment to sustainable development and climate adaptation, particularly in vulnerable regions such as Batken and Issyk-Kul. National priorities continue to focus on energy efficiency, risk reduction, and scaling green finance solutions for local communities and businesses.