Environment - The Times Of Central Asia

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Climate Change

Artificial Glaciers Created in Kyrgyzstan for Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change Adaptation

As the international community observed the first-ever World Day for Glaciers on March 21, a project led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has demonstrated how artificial glaciers can help rural communities in Kyrgyzstan adapt to the effects of climate change. As part of the FAO initiative, seven artificial glaciers were constructed in villages across the Batken region of southern Kyrgyzstan in late autumn 2024. Over the winter, these glaciers accumulated more than 1.5 million cubic meters of ice. As spring temperatures rise, the ice begins to melt, providing essential irrigation water for downstream agricultural lands. According to FAO experts, more than 1,750 hectares of land, equivalent to 2,451 football fields, can be irrigated using furrow irrigation. If modern systems are introduced, this could expand to as much as 15,000 hectares. These artificial glaciers are relatively simple structures designed to collect and freeze water in winter for agricultural use in summer, including for irrigation and livestock. On average, one glacier can support irrigation on 300 to 500 hectares. “The key is to choose the right location,” said Matraim Jusupov, FAO expert on water-saving technologies. “We channel water from a mountain spring through a pipeline ending in a vertical pipe 10-15 meters high. The elevation difference generates pressure, which allows us to spray water into the air. At sub-zero temperatures, it freezes and gradually forms an ice cone.” To build the glaciers, 6,956 meters of pipeline were laid. FAO supplied construction materials and technical guidance, while the work was carried out by local residents. The FAO office in Kyrgyzstan has since developed universal guidelines for building artificial glaciers and distributed them across the country. Based on this experience, new glacier construction is already underway in other regions. Global Glacier Melt According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS), five of the past six years have seen the fastest glacier retreat ever recorded. The years 2022–2024 marked the largest three-year loss of glacier mass in history. Once regarded as “eternal ice,” many glaciers are now unlikely to survive the 21st century. There are more than 275,000 glaciers worldwide, covering approximately 700,000 square kilometers. Along with ice sheets, glaciers store about 70% of the planet’s freshwater. Their depletion threatens water supplies for hundreds of millions of people. In response to this growing crisis, the UN General Assembly declared 2025 the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation and designated March 21 as the annual World Day for Glaciers. The initiative aims to raise awareness of the critical role glaciers play in the global climate and hydrological systems, and their significance to economic and ecological stability. UNESCO and WMO are leading the global coordination effort, supported by over 200 organizations and 35 countries. Kyrgyzstan’s Initiatives A Kyrgyz delegation led by Dinara Kemelova, the President’s Special Representative for the Five Years of Action for Mountain Regions Development, participated in World Day for Glaciers events at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on March 20-21. The meetings focused on...

Air Pollution

UN Human Rights Commissioner Raises Alarm Over Air Quality in Bishkek

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has expressed concern over deteriorating air quality in Bishkek during his official visit to Kyrgyzstan. The visit, focused on civil rights, freedom of speech, and economic development, also addressed pressing environmental issues affecting the Kyrgyz capital. Speaking at a press conference, Türk emphasized that Kyrgyzstan ranks among the most polluted countries in the region, and that air quality in Bishkek poses a serious threat to public health and the environment. “Despite some progress and financial support from international organizations, much more needs to be done to protect the environment,” he said. Türk urged Kyrgyz authorities to intensify efforts to combat climate change and to increase investment in green initiatives. He underscored the importance of climate finance and the need for comprehensive, cooperative action. “This issue must be addressed in partnership and through a climate change lens,” he said. “While there have been financial injections from international donors, they have not yet translated into sufficient results. Each country bears responsibility. Green investments are essential, not just for Kyrgyzstan, but for all nations. The government must take stronger, more effective action.” According to the 2024 World Air Quality Report from IQAir, cities across Central Asia consistently exceed World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The report notes the following annual average concentrations (in micrograms per cubic meter): Dushanbe: 46.3 Tashkent: 31.4 Bishkek: 21.2 Osh: 20.5 Almaty: 20.3 Astana: 15.4 For context, the WHO’s recommended safe limit for PM2.5 is no more than 5 micrograms per cubic meter.

Wildlife Conservation

Kazakhstan Restores Populations of Przewalski’s Horse, Turanian Tiger, and Snow Leopard

Kazakhstan is making significant strides in wildlife conservation, actively restoring populations of Przewalski’s horse, the Turanian tiger, and the snow leopard. These efforts mark a major step toward reintroducing species that were once native to the region but had either disappeared or faced severe population declines. Hungary Supports Reintroduction of Przewalski’s Horse Kazakhstan is continuing its ambitious program to restore endangered species, including Przewalski’s horse, a once-dominant species of the Kazakh steppes that vanished from the wild in the 1960s. Thanks to international conservation programs, their numbers have been preserved in captivity, and now efforts are underway to return them to their natural habitat. As part of this initiative, Hungary will provide 150 Przewalski’s horses, which will be released into Kazakhstani nature reserves, Hungarian Minister of Agriculture István Nagy announced. “This step will increase safety for this horse species in case of disease outbreaks,” Nagy stated. The first seven horses have already been brought from the Prague Zoo to the Altyn Dala Reserve in Kazakhstan’s Kostanay region. Reintroducing the Turanian Tiger In parallel, Kazakhstan continues its efforts to bring back the Turanian tiger, a subspecies that disappeared from the region 70 years ago. To support this initiative, the government has established the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve, which now serves as a habitat for key prey species. To date, the reserve has received 205 riparian deer and more than 100 kulans. Authorities have also increased the populations of roe deer and wild boars, ensuring an adequate food supply for the tigers. In fall 2023, two tigers from the Netherlands arrived at the reserve, and another three to four animals from Russia are expected to be introduced soon. Snow Leopard Population Doubles Kazakhstan has also made remarkable progress in snow leopard conservation. According to Daniyar Turgambayev, chairman of the Forestry and Wildlife Committee of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the number of snow leopards in the country has now reached 180 individuals, double the population recorded in the 1990s. “Specially protected natural areas covering 3.6 million hectares have been established in key snow leopard habitats. Currently, about 70% of their range is under official protection,” Turgambayev stated. The government has deployed photo traps and satellite telemetry to monitor the snow leopard population. Eleven leopards have been fitted with satellite collars, allowing researchers to track their movements and adaptation to the wild. Expanding Protected Areas Since gaining independence, Kazakhstan has dramatically expanded its protected natural areas, from 869,000 hectares to 30.9 million hectares. This expansion has not only helped revive endangered species but also significantly strengthened overall biodiversity protection. With an integrated approach to conservation, Kazakhstan has positioned itself as a leader in Central Asia in the reintroduction of endangered species and the preservation of natural ecosystems.

Ecology

Kyrgyzstan’s Largest Gold Deposit: Environmental Disaster on the Horizon?

Concerns over a potential environmental catastrophe at the Kumtor mine, Kyrgyzstan’s largest gold deposit, have gained traction following a recent statement by Adilet Usupbaev, an ecologist from the National Academy of Sciences. According to Usupbaev, a waste dump at the high-altitude mine is shifting toward the Kumtor River, which feeds into the Naryn River and, eventually, the Syr Darya River, raising fears of severe contamination if waste reaches the waterway. Ecologist Raises Alarm in Parliament Speaking in Parliament, Usupbaev explained that waste rock dumps, formed as a byproduct of mining operations, are gradually shifting. While several such dumps exist at Kumtor, one in particular is now edging closer to the Kumtor River. “If the dump reaches the Kumtor River, it will be a disaster. We need urgent measures to stop its movement, planting Caragana shrubs, for instance. As an experiment, we planted them in the area, and they took root. The shrubbery won’t stop the dump entirely, but it’s at least an attempt,” Usupbaev said. He warned that waste accumulation at mining sites across the country is increasing each year, potentially leading to widespread environmental damage if proper land reclamation is not implemented. Many dumps, he noted, contain harmful chemical compounds. Mining Company Rejects Claims The Kumtor Gold Company dismissed the ecologist’s concerns, asserting that his claims lack an objective basis. The company emphasized that the movement of waste dumps is occurring at a slower rate than anticipated. “At present, actual displacement is within our 2023 forecast and does not yet match the projected values for 2025. The dump remains 160 meters from the 2025 boundary and roughly one kilometer from the Kumtor River,” the company stated. Kumtor officials insisted that continuous scientific monitoring allows them to assess and manage geotechnical risks, preventing potential hazards such as dump collapses or water contamination. They further argued that the dumps consist solely of waste rock mass, free of harmful chemical elements. Has This Happened Before? Kumtor has previously been the cause of significant environmental issues. In 1998, a traffic accident led to almost a ton of cyanide spilling into a river near the village of Barskoon. In terms of waste dump movements, in 2013, shifting rock masses threatened residential areas, administrative buildings, and a weather station, forcing the company to demolish and relocate infrastructure. According to Isakbek Torgoev, head of the Geoecological Monitoring Laboratory at the Kyrgyz National Academy of Sciences, the movement of waste rock dumps is a constant process at Kumtor due to the thawing of permafrost beneath them. “These dumps are always moving, sometimes faster, sometimes slower, but Kumtor’s geotechnical service closely monitors them. The Lysyi Glacier dump is currently the closest to the Kumtor River, but it is still about a kilometer away,” Torgoev told The Times of Central Asia. Torgoev recalled visiting the mine a decade ago as part of a government commission tasked with inspecting the dumps. At the time, authorities stated that all waste dumps should be stabilized by the mine’s closure, a goal that...

Water

Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan Reach Agreement on Amu Darya Water Usage

A delegation from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Water Resources visited Turkmenistan on March 13-14 to discuss bilateral cooperation on water management, Dunyo reports. Officials from both countries met in Turkmenabat to address key issues, including the maintenance and modernization of water infrastructure, flood prevention, riverbank reinforcement, and efficient water use. As part of the discussions, the sides reaffirmed their commitment to implementing agreements reached during the fourth Uzbek-Turkmen intergovernmental meeting on water management. They agreed to collaborate on hydrotechnical projects aimed at minimizing water losses in the Amu Darya River and optimizing resource use. The two countries also plan to conduct joint research on shared water bodies, exchange expertise on water-saving technologies and digital management systems, and enhance training programs for water management specialists. During the visit, the Uzbek delegation toured the Tuyamoyin hydroelectric complex, where representatives discussed potential improvements to its operations. Previously, The Times of Central Asia reported that Kazakhstan is set to receive 11 billion cubic meters of irrigation water by April 2025 under an agreement signed in Dushanbe. Meanwhile, on World Rivers Day of Action, environmental groups raised concerns about growing threats to Central Asia’s rivers and lakes. Organizations such as Rivers Without Boundaries and Friends of the Earth US have called on international financial institutions to reconsider funding for hydropower projects in the region.

Climate Change

Biodiversity Experts Tell Banks to Halt Projects That Endanger Central Asia’s Rivers

On March 14, World Rivers Day of Action, international environmental organizations issued a stark warning about the future of Central Asia’s key rivers and lakes. A coalition, including Rivers without Boundaries, International Rivers, Friends of the Earth US, Urgewald, and CEE Bankwatch Network, called on major international development banks to reconsider their funding policies for hydropower projects. According to environmentalists, Central Asia already has more than 300 large dams, with over 200 additional projects either planned or under construction, many with financial backing from international banks. In a joint statement addressed to the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Eurasian Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the groups expressed concern over the rapid expansion of dams in the region. They argue that these hydropower projects are fragmenting rivers, destroying natural habitats, and violating human rights. Despite UNESCO World Heritage protections and other conservation measures, environmentalists warn that increased international funding for both large and small hydropower projects could irreversibly damage Central Asia’s rivers. A newly published map by Rivers without Boundaries identifies the region’s most valuable and vulnerable freshwater ecosystems. If all planned projects are completed, nearly all of Central Asia’s river systems will be fragmented, including those that remained untouched during Soviet-era hydroengineering efforts. “Dams and reservoirs in Central Asia are often presented as necessary for water conservation and energy development,” said Evgeny Simonov, international coordinator of Rivers without Boundaries. “However, global experience shows that this approach is often economically inefficient and environmentally destructive.” Andrey Ralev, a biodiversity specialist at CEE Bankwatch Network, emphasized the severe impact of hydropower projects on the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, which have already contributed to the Aral Sea crisis. “Their mountain tributaries still support unique biodiversity. Development banks should support their protection, not finance destructive hydropower projects,” he said. Katharina Lu, a senior manager at Friends of the Earth US, highlighted the growing impact of climate change and biodiversity loss on river ecosystems and local communities. “International development banks must stop blindly supporting hydropower and instead consider decentralized energy solutions with less environmental impact,” she said.