CONTEMPORARY WATER ISSUES IN CENTRAL ASIA: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61841/a8frgd17Keywords:
Transboundary Cooperation, Food Security, Irrigation Practices, Public Health, Environmental Governance, Climate AdaptationAbstract
Central Asia, situated around the Amu Darya and Syr Darya river basins and bordered by
the Caspian and Aral Seas, is grappling with acute water-related challenges that threaten
ecological balance and socioeconomic stability. The crisis is exemplified by the desiccation
of the Aral Sea due to unsustainable water diversion and escalating pollution in the Caspian
Sea, which endangers biodiversity and coastal livelihoods. Climate change has further
intensified these pressures through accelerated glacial melting in Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan, jeopardizing long-term freshwater availability. Growing water scarcity affects
agriculture, food security, public health, and regional relations, exposing a paradox of
resource abundance amid environmental vulnerability. This paper analyzes the
environmental, economic, and social dimensions of Central Asia’s contemporary water
issues, emphasizing governance deficits, inefficient management, and transboundary
tensions. It further evaluates solutions including regional cooperation, modern irrigation
technologies, and integrated water resource management to enhance resilience and
promote sustainable development.
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