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Two Hydrometric Stations Open On Uzbekistan, Tajikistan Border

Two hydrometric stations have been opened along the cross-border Great Fergana Canal and North Fergana Canal, according to a report by news portal Gazeta.uz. Construction of the stations was facilitated by the Swiss government’s Blue Peace Central Asia initiative. The project was started in 2017 in response to the need for a cross-border strategy for water management in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The hydrometric stations were opened as part of the sixth meeting of the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan working group on the coordinated use of the transnational rivers’ water resources in Central Asia. The two countries signed a protocol on the automated computations and real-time transfer of cost data to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan from the two stations. The Gazeta.uz report claims that Switzerland has been assisting water reform initiatives in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for nearly 20 years, employing an integrated approach to national water resources management. Blue Peace Central Asia supports the creation of guidelines for regional cooperation aimed at ensuring water security for the entire population of Central Asia. Recently, the data source Meteojurnal released statistics regarding the use of Amudarya water by Central Asian nations in 2023, based on information from the scientific information center of the Central Asian interstate water management coordination commission (Afghanistan was not taken into account). The largest user of river water was Turkmenistan, which diverted 42% of river water (20 cubic kilometers) to its own country. In second place was Uzbekistan, which used 38.4% of the river’s water (about 18.3 cubic kilometers). The next largest user, Tajikistan, accounted for 19.8% of water (more than 9.4 cubic kilometers).

Central Asia Environment Kyrgyzstan Environment Kyrgyzstan

Smog in Bishkek Decreases by 10-15%

Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision has announced that smog in Bishkek has decreased by at least 10-15% resulting from the government's efforts to improve the air quality in the capital city. Welcome news at a time when pollution had reached a critical level. In recent years, IQAIR has frequently ranked Bishkek among the worst cities in the world for the highest levels of air pollution. The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) brief, “Tackling Air Pollution in Bishkek: A Road Map to Cleaner Air,” released in November 2023, stated that air pollution in Bishkek exceeded the WHO air quality guidelines by up to 30 times in winter. The brief referenced several studies on the main sources of air pollution. A UNICEF report showed PM2.5 concentrations are highest where households rely on coal for heating, in areas around the city's coal-fired thermal power plant and where solid waste is burned. UNDP-UNEP similarly cited coal as the primary source of pollution, followed by road transport. Transport was estimated by ADB to contribute around a third of annual emissions, particularly diesel trucks and minibuses. In conclusion, the ADB report recommended that to arrest air pollution, top priority be given to phasing out coal and investing in clean public transport. According to government reports, in 2023, nine residential neighborhoods comprising over 14 thousand households were supplied with natural gas. Today, 31 of the 47 residential suburbs, previously reliant on coal for heating, are connected to gas. The ministry also stated that the Bishkek landfill, which had been burning for decades adding to the city’s air pollution woes, was completely extinguished last year. Its territory is currently being reclaimed, with 850 tree saplings planted so far on an area of 2.3 hectares. In addition, 850 new environmentally friendly buses running on liquefied gas have been purchased for Bishkek. Mild weather and heavy rainfall were contributory factors but the decrease in smog this winter bodes well for the city's environment.

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Afghan Canal Will Divert Water from Uzbekistan

Afghanistan has begun construction of the second phase of the Qosh Tepa Canal, which will divert water from the Amu Darya River and may have an adverse effect on agriculture in downstream Uzbekistan. The Taliban announced that construction work on the second phase, which stretches from Dawlat Abad District of Balkh Province to Andkhoi District of Faryab Province, began on February 20th, Afghan broadcaster TOLOnews reported, adding that the 198-km first phase of the canal is now complete and construction of the 177-km second phase will take 12 months. The canal is expected to convert 550,000 hectares of desert into farmland in northern Afghanistan. The Taliban-led government of Afghanistan has made the Qosh Tepa Canal a priority project and its construction started in early 2022. However, neighboring Uzbekistan, the main downstream country in the Amu Darya basin, has expressed concerns that the canal will have an adverse effect on its agriculture. In September 2023, Uzbekistan’s President Mirziyoyev stated that the canal could “radically change the water regime and balance in Central Asia.” Speaking at a meeting of the Council of Heads of the Founder States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, Mirziyoyev warned that a “new participant in the water use process has appeared in our region.” Mirziyoyev proposed the formation of a joint working group to study all aspects of the Qosh Tepa Canal and its impact on the water regime of the Amu Darya River with the involvement of research institutes of the Central Asian countries. A Eurasian Development Bank’s (EDB) study, “Efficient Irrigation and Water Conservation in Central Asia,” released in November 2023, emphasized the need to mitigate the anticipated decrease in the flow of the Amu Darya River from Afghanistan. EDB analysts forecast that by 2028, the combined effects of climate change, low-water periods and the commissioning of Qosh Tepa Canal in Afghanistan will result in acute water shortages in Central Asia, estimated to be between 5 and 12 km3. With the launch of the canal provisionally set for 2028, its expected water intake from the Amu Darya will be up to 10 cubic kilometers. A reduction in the Amu Darya flow will have an impact on the entire Aral Sea basin. As a result, from 2028, Central Asia will face a chronic water shortage, Evgeny Vinokurov, chief economist of the EDB warned.

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Kazakhstan Seeks to Tap Huge Wind Power Potential

Kazakhstan may soon become one of the world leaders in wind power generation, the country’s Minister of Energy, Almasadam Satkaliev told a parliamentary commission on February 23rd. According to the minister, as the world’s ninth-largest country, Kazakhstan has significant potential for the development of the renewable energy sector, with its vast territory highly suited to wind and solar power generation. Kazakhstan’s climate is favorable for the construction of wind power plants as the country has wind corridors with wind speeds of more than five meters per second, a requirement for the operation of turbines. Experts estimate the potential of wind energy in Kazakhstan at 920 billion kWh per year. The Caspian Region, south Kazakhstan, and the Shelek Corridor and Dzhungar Gate located in the southeast have the most potential. The minister also noted the possibilities for the utilization of solar energy. The southern regions of the country see 2,200-3,000 hours of sun per year, among the most in the world. The best areas for solar generation are the Aral Sea region and south Kazakhstan. In 2023, Kazakhstan consumed 115 billion kWh of electrical energy, compared with 112.9 billion kWh in 2022, and produced 112.8 billion kWh, the same amount as in 2022. Last year Kazakhstan imported 3.4 billion kWh, and exported 1.4 billion kWh. In 2024, the country plans to generate 115 billion kWh. According to the minister, renewable energy has shown steady growth, and since 2014 its capacity has increased more than 16-fold — from 178 MW in 2014 to 2,868 MW in 2023. In 2023, the volume of electricity generated by renewable energy facilities amounted to 6.675 billion kWh, including 3.8 billion kWh from wind power plants, 1.8 billion kWh from solar plants, and 993.8 million kWh from hydropower plants. That accounted for 5.9% of the total electricity generation in the country. Kazakhstan’s goal is to achieve a 15% share of renewable energy sources in power generation by 2030, and a 50% share by 2050.

Central Asia Environment Kazakhstan Environment Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Tatneft to Explore for Hydrocarbons in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company, KazMunayGas, and the Russian Tatneft will create a joint venture for geological exploration for hydrocarbons at the Karaton Podsolevoy subsoil area in the Atyrau region in western Kazakhstan, KazMunayGas has announced. The two companies signed agreements for the project on February 21st in the Russian city of Kazan. Tatneft is headquartered in the nearby town of Almetyevsk. According to the agreements, KazMunayGas is selling Tatneft a 50% stake in Karaton Operating Ltd., the operator of the Karaton Podsolevoy project. In June 2023 KazMunayGas received a contract to explore and produce hydrocarbons at the Karaton Podsolevoy area and in September 2023 registered a private company, Karaton Operating Ltd., to implement the project. In November 2023, KMG transferred the subsoil use right to Karaton Operating Ltd. “[Kazakhstan’s president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev] set the task of attracting foreign investment in the raw materials sector and geological exploration,” commented Magzum Mirzagaliyev, chairman of the board of KazMunayGas. “In this regard, we held negotiations with a number of investors and are pleased that our partner in the Karaton Podsolevoy project has become the Tatneft company, which has extensive experience in the field of geological exploration and development of oil and gas fields.” Mr Mirzagaliyev added that drilling of the first exploration well with a depth of 5,500 meters is planned for 2024.

Central Asia Environment Kazakhstan Environment Kazakhstan

70% of Kazakhstan’s Electricity Generated Using Coal

Last year Kazakhstan produced 112.7m tons of coal, 1.1% less than in 2022. The country’s energy-generating facilities used 65.9m tons and 31.9m tons were sent for export, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. Kazakhstan ranks among the world’s ten leading countries in terms of coal reserves, with 49 deposits containing 33.6bn tons of coal. Today the coal industry provides fuel for about 70% of Kazakhstan’s electricity generation. About 30 companies are currently engaged in coal mining in the country, providing jobs for almost 32,000 people. Large coal deposits are located mainly in Central Kazakhstan (Karaganda coal basin, Shubarkol deposit, Turgai brown coal basin) and the northeastern region (Ekibastuz and Maikuben coal basins and Karazhyra deposit). The Ministry of Industry and Construction earlier announced Kazakhstan’s plan to increase the production of coal in the period 2023-2029. The National Bureau of Statistics reported that exports of hard coal and lignite have increased 6.5-fold, mainly due to the growing demand for Kazakh coal from the countries of the European Union, which has placed an embargo on Russian coal exports to European countries since August 2022.