Community of Practice

Research from Central Asia and beyond the region reveals significant opportunities for improving cooperation on water and energy. For example, a water and energy consortium could be a mechanism for cooperation to bring together the interests of all countries in the region. There are also many successful examples of water and energy mechanisms in the world, which can be used to inspire the creation of sustainable cooperation mechanisms relevant to Central Asia.

In recent years, the Voluntary Carbon Market has become a popular topic in Central Asia, as the program heralds some promise for farmers and environmental groups alike. While farmers can generate additional income, environmental groups appreciate the convenient way for industry to reduce its carbon emissions.

Climate change issues are becoming increasingly relevant in the countries of Central Asia, negatively affecting the countries’ economy, in particular, the agricultural sector. The decrease in irrigation water supply in the Aral Sea basin and the unfavorable environmental situation in the region are causing significant annual losses in the quality and quantity of many economically valuable agricultural crops.

The future of Central Asia will be largely influenced by the rational and coordinated use of water and energy resources. Accordingly, Central Asia’s infrastructure for water delivery and transport will play a key role for supporting livelihood and promoting sustainable use. To strengthen the water management complex in Central Asia, countries are devoting significant effort and money to designing new hydrotechnical structures and developing long-term plans hydropower, irrigation and water management. More than 100 large dams and thousands of small low-pressure hydraulic structures now operate in Central Asia, each one contributing to the long-term and seasonal regulation of river flow, serving agricultural and industrial needs for water (and electricity), and meeting the social, safety and economic needs of communities.

Access to safe drinking water and irrigation for agricultural fields are fundamental human rights and an integral part of the growth and development prospects for Central Asia. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), per capita water resources in the Central Asian countries are presently sufficient (about 2.3 thousand m³) but concerns about rational use and long-term water availability are rising, especially with regard to agriculture, which in Central Asia ranges between 10-45% of national GDP figures depending on the country.

The water-energy-food-ecosystem Nexus approach (or WEFE Nexus) can form the basis for long-term social and economic stability through the sustainable development of natural resources. While WEFE Nexus has wide acceptance worldwide, it is largely lacking in practice at the governance level (local, national, regional) and virtually unknown in public circles. In countries of Central Asia, in most cases, these development sectors are still considered separately, both at the national and regional levels.

Over the past few decades, there have been significant global advances to ensure more equitable gender representation for inclusive decision-making, especially in the education and healthcare sectors. However, in issues related to the Water-Energy-Food Ecosystem Nexus, women’s role remains an underappreciated ‘asset’ in most parts of the world.

There are about 280 reservoirs in Central Asia (CA) designed to regulate the seasonal and annual river flow. Most of them are multifunctional and are used for agricultural needs, water supply, hydropower generation, and flood protection.

Water reservoirs in the region are subject to intense negative processes of pollution and silting, as well as clogging caused by mountainous terrain.