Central Asia is losing its glaciers fast due to climate shifts, but the ice masses are vital for local people.
To tackle the issue, regional science cooperation is growing.
A recent talk at the Astana Forum highlighted this. The head of UNESCO talked about more teamwork in water management.
Thanks to the Global Environment Fund, she said investment will double by summer 2023.
The main aim is to understand the region’s frozen zones better. This is key because the ice is melting fast and can’t be reversed.
This melt is due to changing climate conditions.
In July, an extensive seminar took place in Paris. About 90 experts from Central Asia attended. This meeting is part of a bigger plan that runs from 2021 to 2026.
The Adaptation Fund is providing the money to map all the glaciers.
Here’s why it’s urgent: These glaciers have lost up to 30% of their volume in 50 years. If trends continue, by 2100, half the ice volume and a third of the area will be gone.
Tajikistan has almost half of the region’s glaciers. Despite making up just 4% of Kyrgyz land, these ice masses offer ample water.
Climate changes are messing up natural water flows and this hurts local communities.
Also, fast-melting ice creates dangerous lakes. When these lakes overflow, flash floods can happen.
This puts people living downstream at risk.
Many people are affected in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Monitoring these lakes is a vital part of a UNESCO program.
Adaption Fund
The Adaptation Fund is footing the bill for this effort.
Local agencies like the CESDRR are helping UNESCO. Based in Almaty, this center started in 2016. It boosts area teamwork through data collection and risk checks.
A new lab in Almaty is focusing on ice study. It employs 20 international experts working on four key topics.
By 2025, a new alert system should be ready. It will work in four nations and focus on four things: risk knowledge, watching, talking, and actionability.
UNESCO says working together on water issues is key. They state that peace will also hinge on how we manage this resource.
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