Environment - The Times Of Central Asia

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Natural Disasters

Families in Tajikistan Relocated from Zones at High Risk from Disasters

Authorities in Tajikistan have relocated hundreds of families from areas vulnerable to natural disasters, continuing a multi-year effort to reduce risk to life and property. Jamshed Kamolzoda, Head of the Main Directorate for Civil Protection and Territories under the Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, outlined the scope of the relocation initiative, the primary threats identified, and the state resources allocated for disaster prevention. According to Kamolzoda, 328 households were moved from high-risk zones in 2024-2025. Of these, 154 were relocated in 2024, and 174 followed in 2025. The relocations were carried out under the government-approved “Medium-Term Plan for the Organized Resettlement of Environmental Migrants for 2024-2026,” which mandates the annual resettlement of 175 households based on risk assessments. Kamolzoda emphasized that the Committee annually conducts geological and engineering evaluations of vulnerable areas and develops corresponding risk-reduction measures in cooperation with other agencies. A central component of this effort remains the relocation of at-risk populations. “Special working groups have been established under the Committee, comprising experts in engineering, geology, construction, and emergency response,” he said. These groups inspect residential buildings and infrastructure on-site and issue recommendations grounded in technical and scientific analysis. Their findings form the basis for resettlement decisions. The relocation program is part of the broader National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction for 2019-2034, which aims to minimize human and material losses, bolster preventative measures, and improve public preparedness for emergencies. Mudslides, earthquakes, and avalanches are the most frequent natural disasters in Tajikistan, with earthquakes considered the most dangerous due to their potential scale. With 93% of the country’s territory classified as mountainous, the most at-risk regions include the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), the Rasht Valley, the Zeravshan Valley, and the mountainous areas of the Sughd Region. In 2025 alone, the Committee recorded 287 emergency incidents across Tajikistan, 12 of which were natural disasters. The total estimated damage exceeded $2.2 million.

Waste Processing

What’s Really Happening With Waste Processing in Kazakhstan

Official statistics suggest that Kazakhstan is making steady progress in recycling solid municipal waste (SMW), but a closer look reveals a significant technological shortfall. According to an analysis by Energyprom.kz, behind the rising recycling percentages lies a troubling gap between reported sorting and actual reuse. As of December 2025, the share of municipal waste reportedly recycled or reused had reached 28.6%, up from 25.9% at the end of 2024. On paper, this suggests progress toward the Ministry of Ecology’s target of 40% by 2040. However, the real picture is more complex. Only 1.1% of all municipal waste actually results in the production of secondary raw materials. Analysts emphasize the wide gap between the amount sorted and the amount truly recycled. According to Kazakhstan’s National Statistics Bureau, the country generates between 4.2 million and 4.8 million tons of municipal solid waste annually. In 2024, the figure hit a peak of 4.8 million tons. Of that, about 1.3 million tons were sorted and recorded as recycled or reused, more than one-quarter of the total. But crucially, this refers only to the volume that passed through sorting facilities. Much of the remaining 4.5 million tons was ultimately sent to landfill, including a significant share of the sorted waste. In 2024, 37.1% of sorted municipal waste, about 490,400 tons, was still landfilled. In other words, more than a third of the “recycled” waste never became usable raw material. In some regions, the situation is even more stark. At certain waste processing plants, including in Almaty, up to 85% of sorted waste ends up in landfill due to outdated technologies and limited processing capacity. Without substantial upgrades to equipment and processes, this is unlikely to change. That said, there has been measurable improvement. In 2023, 65.9% of sorted waste was landfilled, compared to 37.1% in 2024. Meanwhile, the volume of waste actually sent for recycling rose from 358,900 tons to 588,200 tons. Even so, only 49,200 tons of waste were ultimately processed into secondary raw materials, just 8.4% of the sorted waste and a mere 1.1% of Kazakhstan’s total municipal waste. For comparison, the figure was just 0.7% the previous year. More than 40% of waste processed at SMW facilities in 2024 consisted of plastic and paper, with plastic being the most straightforward to recycle. That year, 112,400 tons of plastic were recycled, an 8.5% increase over 2023. Waste paper collection reached 124,400 tons. Other materials processed include glass, metals, and used tires. Tire recycling has grown particularly quickly, with volumes increasing nearly twentyfold year-on-year. Despite this modest progress, Kazakhstan’s waste accumulation problem remains severe. The country has already amassed 48.3 million tons of solid waste. Of the approximately 3,000 landfills currently in operation, only 20.6% meet national standards. The best-performing regions include Zhambyl and Ulytau, as well as the cities of Astana and Shymkent. The worst conditions are found in North Kazakhstan, Turkestan, and Abai regions, where fewer than 3% of landfills comply with regulations. In 7 of Kazakhstan’s 20 largest cities, landfill capacity...

Hydropower

Water Shortages Cut Hydropower Output in Uzbekistan

Electricity generation at Uzbekistan’s hydropower plants has declined significantly due to water shortages, Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamahmudov told lawmakers during a recent session of the Legislative Chamber of the country's parliament, the Oliy Majlis, according to reports in Uzbek media. Mirzamahmudov said water inflows to major hydropower facilities had fallen by 35%, directly impacting electricity production compared with last year. He was responding to a question from deputy Saydullo Azimov, who inquired about the ongoing decline in hydropower output. “The main reason for the drop in electricity generation at large hydropower plants compared to last year is the reduced water inflow,” Mirzamahmudov said. He added that while Uzbekistan has commissioned a number of small and micro hydropower stations, with capacities ranging from one to five megawatts, these facilities collectively produced only about 140 million kilowatt hours of electricity. This output, he noted, remains limited and cannot compensate for the shortfall at major plants. Mirzamahmudov reaffirmed the government's commitment to further developing the hydropower sector but acknowledged its heavy reliance on water availability. To reduce dependence on natural gas and enhance energy security, Uzbekistan is increasingly investing in alternative energy sources. “We are paying special attention to solar and wind power, as well as energy storage systems,” he said, noting that these options offer more consistent short-term performance. He also revealed plans to construct pumped-storage power plants, which store excess electricity for use during peak demand periods. However, he pointed out that building a large hydropower facility typically takes six to ten years, making green energy projects the most viable option for addressing immediate energy needs. In a related development, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan agreed in July to a new phase of electricity trade. Under the deal, power from Tajikistan’s Rogun Hydropower Plant will be exported to Uzbekistan at an initial rate of 3.4¢ per kilowatt hour. The agreement, which has a 20-year term with automatic extensions, builds on electricity exports that Tajikistan has supplied to Uzbekistan each summer since 2018.

Darvaza Gas Crater

Turkmen Scientists Develop Plan to Extinguish the Darvaza Gas Crater

Scientists from the Scientific Research Institute of Natural Gas, under the state concern Turkmengaz, have proposed a method to extinguish the Darvaza gas crater, an uncontrolled fire that has been burning for decades in Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert. The development was reported by Nebit-Gaz. The proposed solution involves drilling a new well to divert natural gas away from the crater. Researchers believe this strategy could significantly reduce, and eventually halt, the gas flow fueling the fire. If successful, the plan would allow Turkmenistan to mitigate environmental damage and conserve valuable energy resources. Turkmen officials have increasingly framed the Darvaza fire as both an environmental liability and an economic loss. Burning methane contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, while the continuous flare represents wasted natural gas in a country heavily dependent on energy exports for revenue. Located roughly 270 kilometers north of Ashgabat, the crater, officially named the “Glow of the Karakum”, sits atop the Chaljulba structure of the Zeagli-Darvaza group of gas fields. It measures approximately 60 meters in diameter and is 20 meters deep. The formation resulted from the collapse of an exploratory gas well. To prevent methane from harming local populations and wildlife, scientists ignited the gas, expecting the fire to burn out within days. However, the blaze has continued uninterrupted. Gas has been burning at the site since 1971, making the crater one of Central Asia’s most unusual natural and industrial spectacles. Researchers at the institute have conducted in-depth studies of the region’s geological structure, identifying a complex network of thin gas-bearing layers between 200 and 950 meters underground. These layers are interspersed with water-bearing and dense rock formations and are often hydrodynamically connected, enabling gas migration between them. Experts caution that extinguishing the fire has never been straightforward. The crater is fed not by a single reservoir but by multiple interconnected gas pockets, complicating efforts to isolate and shut off the fuel source. This interconnectivity explains why the fire persists despite the initial reservoir being relatively modest. Previous attempts to extinguish the fire included examining the crater floor to locate the original wellbore. Turkmengaz safety teams descended into the crater in hopes of installing flow-control equipment, but gas was found to be leaking from multiple surface outlets, rendering those efforts ineffective. Engineers found that sealing individual outlets risked increasing pressure elsewhere in the field, raising concerns that poorly planned interventions could trigger new leaks rather than resolve the problem. Now, using updated geological and production data, scientists have proposed drilling an operational and appraisal well in the Chaljulba field. By intensively extracting gas from the most productive reservoir, they aim to alter subsurface pressure conditions and redirect the gas away from the crater. According to Nebit-Gaz, this scientifically grounded approach offers a realistic path toward halting the fire and minimizing its environmental impact. If successful, the strategy could also allow some of the diverted gas to be captured for industrial use, potentially turning a long-standing liability into a limited economic resource. The Darvaza fire has drawn global attention...

Waste-to-Energy

Bishkek Officially Inaugurates Central Asia’s First Waste-to-Energy Plant

Bishkek marked a major environmental milestone on December 27 with the official inauguration of Central Asia’s first waste-to-energy plant. President Sadyr Japarov attended the ceremony, underscoring the project’s strategic and environmental importance. The facility received its first pilot batch of municipal solid waste on November 14 and has since become the region’s first operational plant generating electricity through waste incineration. Located at Bishkek’s primary landfill, the plant was constructed by China’s Hunan Junxin Environmental Protection Co. Ltd., which invested $95 million in the project. Initially, the facility will process 1,000 tons of waste per day, with future expansion plans to increase capacity to 3,000 tons. The plant is equipped with advanced technology and complies with international environmental standards. It also includes a processing line to convert slag and ash from incineration into construction materials. Speaking at the ceremony, Japarov said the plant would significantly improve the capital’s environmental conditions and contribute to electricity generation. He noted that the facility was built in just 1.5 years and operates under a 35-year concession agreement, after which it will be fully transferred to the state. Designed to process up to 365,000 tons of waste annually, the plant features a 30 MW turbo-generator power unit that will save approximately 80,000 tons of coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 100,000 tons per year. Japarov also met with residents living near the landfill. Many shared that they had long suffered from health issues due to constant smoke from burning garbage and waste blown by the wind. They expressed hope that the new plant would dramatically improve local living conditions. Opened in 1974, Bishkek’s municipal landfill has accumulated around 20 million tons of waste. In recent years, the city has struggled to manage growing volumes of solid waste, receiving up to 1,500 tons per day which has severely impacted the urban environment. The Bishkek plant is the first of three waste-to-energy projects by Hunan Junxin in Kyrgyzstan. In June 2025, the company began constructing a similar facility in Osh, the country’s second-largest city. On October 25, it launched another plant in Karakol, the administrative center of Issyk-Kul region. Hunan Junxin is also expanding regionally. In August, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources announced that the company would build Kazakhstan’s first waste-to-energy plant in Almaty.

Solar Energy

Kyrgyzstan Launches Its First Solar Power Plant

On December 24, Kyrgyzstan inaugurated its first solar power plant in the Kemin district of the Chui region, approximately 100 kilometers east of the capital, Bishkek. The 100-megawatt facility was constructed with $56 million in Chinese investment and is expected to generate approximately 210 million kWh of clean electricity annually. According to government estimates, this output will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 120,000 tons per year. Speaking at the launch ceremony, President Sadyr Japarov described the project as one of the largest foreign investments in Kyrgyzstan’s renewable energy sector to date. He said the plant signals a new phase in the country’s energy transition and its commitment to sustainable development. “The opening of the solar power plant marks the beginning of an important stage in strengthening our country’s energy independence and developing renewable energy sources,” Japarov said. “We now recognize that without the active development of renewables, it is impossible to fully ensure stable electricity supplies for both the population and economic sectors.” Japarov added that the Cabinet of Ministers has signed 12 agreements with investors to build solar and wind power facilities with a combined capacity of over 5 gigawatts. The solar plant is part of a broader development plan for the Kemin area and the wider Chui region, including the creation of an environmentally sustainable urban center, Kemin City. In January 2025, Japarov signed a decree allocating 353 hectares for the project, which aims to provide modern housing, reduce outward migration, and retain local skilled labor. Located about 95 kilometers from Bishkek, Kemin and the nearby town of Orlovka were once industrial hubs during the Soviet era. The collapse of the USSR led to the closure of many enterprises, triggering significant out-migration. The development of Kemin City and supporting infrastructure is intended to reverse these trends and revitalize the local economy. Also on December 24, President Japarov visited the construction site of a major cement plant in the Kemin district, another project backed by Chinese investment. Scheduled to be commissioned in 2027, the facility is expected to produce 3,200 tons of clinker per day. The project will create more than 300 jobs during the construction phase and over 500 permanent positions once fully operational. Japarov emphasized the strategic importance of the plant for the region’s socioeconomic development and instructed government agencies to provide full support to the project’s investor.