Year: 2022
Collections: Research Paper
Topics: Water, Sustainable Development, NEXUS, Water governance, Transboundary Water Resources
Authors: Ahmad Hamidov, Katrin Daedlow, Heidi Webber, Hussam Hussein, Ilhom Abdurahmanov, Aleksandr Dolidudko, Ali Yawar Seerat, Umida Solieva, Tesfaye Woldeyohanes, Katharina Helming
Countries:
Source: Ecology and Society
This article focuses on the operationalization of the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) Nexus concept as a framework for promoting sustainable development in Central Asia. The researchers examine the application of the Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) protocol as a tool for interdisciplinary analysis of five different environmental systems across the region. The findings demonstrate that a systems-based approach helps experts identify critical trade-offs between water resource management, energy production, and soil conservation. The authors emphasize that the SIA framework is effective in addressing interdisciplinary complexity; however, it requires further development in areas related to ethics and stakeholder engagement. Overall, the study highlights that regional cooperation and the integration of scientific approaches are essential for mitigating the impacts of environmental degradation, including challenges such as the desiccation of the Aral Sea. The article therefore provides a methodological foundation for translating theoretical nexus concepts into practical strategies for natural resource management and sustainable development.
Year: 2010
Collections: Research Paper
Topics: Water, Water law, Water diplomacy, Transboundary Water Resources, Transboundary cooperation
Authors: Ilias Bantekas
Countries:
Source: The International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law
This article discusses the position of the littoral States of the body of water known as the Caspian Sea (hereinafter ‘the Caspian’), particularly on the basis of their numerous bilateral treaties and unilateral statements of action, with respect to the legal status and sui generis regimes of the Caspian.
Year: 2021
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Agriculture
Authors: Salmukhanbetova Zh.K., Imanalinova A. A., Dimeyeva L. A., Zverev N.E.
Countries: Kazakhstan
Year: 2022
Collections: Policy Briefs
Topics: Water, Gender
Authors: Tankibayeva Aliya, Bouman-Dentener Alice, Ingraham Rachel Fisher
Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan
Source:
● Five Central Asian countries have the right momentum to build genderinclusive WASH
● Transition can accelerate with investments into safe, resource-efficient, scale-appropriate and modern supply and sanitation infrastructure, technologies, and services
● Inclusive WASH systems are resilient when women take an active role in policy decisions at all levels and implementation
Year: 2018
Collections: Research Paper
Topics: Water governance, IWRM, Transboundary cooperation Irrigation,
Authors: Iroda Amirova, Martin Petrick, Nodir Djanibekov
Countries: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
Source: World Development
This study contributes to the understanding of long- and short-term determinants of cooperation among water users. We experimentally investigate the potential of water users’ self-governance in enhancing their contributions to a common pool as opposed to external regulation. Our focus is on the irrigated areas of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Year: 2023
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Climate
Authors: Kulikov M., Shibkov E., Isaev E., Azarov A., Sidle R.
Countries: Kyrgyzstan
Source: Central Asian Journal of Sustainability and Climate Research
Understanding forest phenology is essential for monitoring global carbon budgets and managing vegetation resources in a changing climate. In southern Kyrgyzstan, walnut and wild apple trees dominate the forest landscape. These forests contain unique genetic diversity and offer potential for the development of climate-resilient crop varieties. They also support local communities through activities such as grazing, firewood collection, and fruit harvesting. However, these practices pose a threat to natural regeneration. Climate change exacerbates these challenges by altering their ecological niche. Despite this, few studies have examined forest phenology and its relationship to climate in Kyrgyzstan.
Year: 2024
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Climate
Authors: Isaev E., Murata Akihiko, Shin Fukui, Roy C. Sidle
Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan
Source: https://water-ca.org/
Climate change poses various challenges for agriculture and water management practices in Central Asia (CA). Central to these challenges are cryosphere dynamics, fragile mountain ecosystems, and ongoing natural hazards that highlight the need for robust projections of regional climate change. For the first time, dynamic downscaling was conducted in Central Asia at a spatial resolution of 5 km.
Year: 2024
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Water
Authors: Barakov R.Т., Sharakhmatov S.Е., Isbekov К.B., Nurtazin S.Т.
Countries: Kazakhstan
Source: https://water-ca.org/
The article presents the results of investigating the morphological variability of carp (Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758) in three large reservoirs of the Balkash-Alakol Basin – Lake Balkash, Lake Alakol, and Kapshagay Reservoir. Morphological differences in several features (counting and plasticity) were found in three carp samples. The study included the examination of 24 plastic and 14 counting features. The method of digital image processing (Morpho J) was applied to analyze the differences of the target fish species specimens by body shape. The application of the principal component analysis (PCA) method allowed determining the main loadings on the studied morphological traits of carp. The statistically reliable differences revealed allow to confirm the formation of morphological changes in carp caused by
the duration of adaptive radiation, environmental factors of water bodies and annual artificial stocking of young fish.
Year: 2025
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Water, IWRM
Authors: Gafurov A., Ziganshina Dinara, Assubayeva A., Nodir Djanibekov, Abdullaev Iskandar, Bobojonov Ihtiyor, Dombrowsky Ines, Hamidov Ahmad, Herrfahrdt-Pähle Elke, Janusz-Pawletta Barbara, Ishangulyyev Rovshen, Kasymov Ulan, Mirkasimov Bakhrom, Petrick Martin, Strobehn Katrin
Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
Source: water-ca.org
Political tensions over water management in the Central Asia region have intensified since the Soviet era, as ecological issues like the drying Aral Sea and seasonal hydropower disruptions impact downstream countries. The paper discusses the region’s water governance challenges, including climate-induced uncertainties, water resource demands, and the limited capacity of local research institutions. While Central Asia’s governments have initiated reforms, including new infrastructure and agreements, resilience in water management remains underdeveloped. The paper also explores the role of higher education institutions in fostering capacity-building for sustainable governance, emphasizing the need for local expertise and regional collaboration. The proposed establishment of a Central Asian water research platform aims to enhance science-policy integration, promote sustainable water governance, and support informed regional cooperation on transboundary water issues.
Year: 2022
Collections: Policy Briefs
Topics: Sustainable Development
Authors: Samekina S., Issayeva G.
Countries: Kazakhstan
Source:
An individual monotown is a unique combination of available resources, trends and potential. Earlier management decisions, due to their uniformity, did not take such specifics into account. As a result, state support measures have not had the expected effect. The introduction of a differentiated approach to regional policy transformation can therefore be a trigger for positive change.
Year: 2017
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Water, Climate
Authors: Klove B., Naurozbayeva Zhanar, Ivkina Natalya
Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
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