Exhaustion of water resources can lead to social tension both between and within countries. This was reported by the Executive Director of the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (RECCA), Zafar Mahmudov, to journalists at the Central Asian Climate and Innovation Conference 2024 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Mahmudov highlighted the need to learn how to manage water resources effectively to meet the needs of developing economies and populations. To address this, RECCA is implementing projects focused on introducing new water- and energy-saving technologies to satisfy the growing water demand.
Another crucial task is managing emergencies during severe floods and landslides. Early warning systems help prevent human casualties and reduce economic losses.
Mahmudov pointed out that each of the Central Asian countries faces its own set of challenges, including water scarcity, desertification, land degradation, rising groundwater levels, and more. Adapting to new conditions in agriculture is difficult for the population, as it takes time and financial resources.
In this complex situation, transboundary cooperation plays a vital role. Mahmudov emphasized the importance of countries working together to ensure not only the availability but also the quality of water resources. Downstream countries must receive sufficient quality water. Chaotic resource utilization based solely on individual interests could lead to misunderstandings between nations.
Another significant issue RECCA encounters is the duplication of many regional processes. Each country, driven by its interests, tries to advance certain regional processes independently or establishes new platforms. This results in substantial costs to strengthen capabilities, implement, and achieve goals. Acting within existing regional projects would be much more effective in conserving resources.
