Year: 2024
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Climate, Energy
Authors: Sergey Vassilyev, Galym Iskakov
Countries: Kazakhstan
Source: Central Asian Journal of Sustainability and Climate Research
The study aimed to evaluate the economic and financial viability of a coal mine methane (CMM) utilization project in Central Kazakhstan, demonstrating a methodology for similar initiatives. The analysis was based on the 2013 project proposed by the US Environmen-tal Protection Agency (EPA) that intended to capture methane emissions from six coal mines for electricity generation, yet was never implemented. The study’s relevance stems from Kazakhstan's 2030 methane pledge, recent progress in the country's climate change-related policy, mineworker mortality in 2023, and the shift of mines ownership. Building upon the technical specifications of the 2013 US EPA project, this research em-ployed standard financial and economic cost-benefit analysis (CBA). The financial model utilized a traditional discounted free cash flow approach, while the economic model in-corporated additional factors like the value of statistical life (VSL), shadow pricing, as well as benefits associated with mitigating ozone health impacts, crop damage, mine ex-plosion risks, and CO2 emissions. The economic model has indicated a positive net pre-sent value of $243 mln and 42% internal rate of return. The financial analysis also sug-gests potential profitability under fair electricity and carbon pricing market conditions. To assess project robustness under varying economic and financial assumptions, the study included a sensitivity analysis. The research has likewise leveraged prior CMM-related studies in Kazakhstan and provides valuable guidance for analyzing similar projects. In addition, it also highlights the need for certain adjustments in the current legislation to incentivize such projects, as well as to promote environmental sustainability and social development by mitigating methane emissions, which aligns with Kazakhstan's climate goals.
Year: 2024
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Water
Authors: Esther Mbuci Kinyua, George William Atwoki Nyakairu, Emmanuel Tebandeke, Oghenekaro Nelson Odume
Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan
Source: https://water-ca.org/
Efficient strategies are necessary to effectively remove microplastics (MPs), which are widely present in the environment. Among various techniques, photocatalysis using visible light has emerged as a promising ap-proach to tackle the growing concerns surrounding microplastic waste.
Year: 2016
Collections: Short Communications
Topics: Water, Climate, Agriculture, Sustainable Development, IWRM
Authors: Unger-Shayesteh Katy, Gerlitz Lars, Vorogushyn Sergiy
Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
Source: Central Asian Journal of Water Research
An important topic of the journal “Integrated Water Resources Management in Central Asia” will be the assessment of past and future changes in climate and water resources in Central Asia. This technical note aims at providing guidance for sound data-based assessment of changes to be published in this journal. The main requirements for achieving credible results are (1) the use of consistent data series, (2) the selection of appropriate change detection methods, and (3) the discussion of the results, their uncertainties and limitations. Using an example of trend analysis, it is exemplarily shown how inhomogeneities in a data series, the selection of start and end points, the applied methods, and temporal aggregation may affect the results of change studies.
Year: 2022
Collections: Policy Briefs
Topics: Agriculture, Sustainable Development
Authors: Guggenberger Georg, Shibistova Olga, Liebelt Peter, Muminjanov Hafiz, Kassam Amir, Friedrich Theodor
Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan
Source:
Soil degradation is widespread and cross-border in Central Asia with multiple symptoms. This impairs the provision of ecosystem services, including food production, climate change mitigation, biodiversity, and human health. The soil health concept links soil management to broader sustainable development goals. Soil knowledge and its application has to be invigorated, for instance by establishing a Central Asian Soil Competence Network.
Year: 2020
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Water
Authors: Hamdard M. H., Soliev I., Xiong L., Klove B.
Countries: Afghanistan
Year: 2020
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Water
Authors: Hamdard M. H., Soliev I., Xiong L., Klove B.
Countries: Afghanistan
Source:
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: 2025
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Water, Energy, Agriculture
Authors: Hamidov Ahmad, Bobocholov Asliddin, Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura
Countries: Uzbekistan
Source: water-ca.org
The water, energy, and food (WEF) nexus is being promoted as a conceptual idea for achieving sustainable development, that describes the interconnections and interdependencies between those three sectors. The main objective of this article is to operationalize the WEF nexus concept in lift-irrigated areas of Uzbekistan through involving local stakeholders, to investigate the WEF nexus within the lift-irrigated agriculture of the Kashkadarya region, an area heavily reliant on the Karshi Canal system. The study is grounded in the urgent need for sustainable development, with a focus on enhancing intersectoral cooperation between water, energy, and food sectors. A case study methodology was employed, incorporating semi-structured interviews with experts, alongside local farmers and scientists. Data were analysed using the qualitative analysis software, Atlas.ti. The results indicate significant challenges to intersectoral cooperation in the WEF nexus, including lack of trust, communication barriers, differing priorities, and insufficient political will. However, the findings also highlight the potential benefits of improved cooperation, such as enhanced resource efficiency, reduced operational costs, and mitigated risks from environmental stressors like drought. The study concludes that, according to stakeholders’ opinions, while the WEF nexus presents critical opportunities for advancing sustainable development in Uzbekistan, substantial barriers must be addressed to realize these benefits. Recommendations include promoting sustainable agriculture to reduce water dependency, improving energy security by diversifying energy sources, and raising awareness of the WEF nexus’s importance. Furthermore, fostering stronger stakeholder cooperation is crucial for achieving Uzbekistan’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Year: 2024
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Water, Climate
Authors: Aidar Zhumabaev, Hannah Schwedhelm, Beatrice Marti, Silvan Ragettli, Tobias Siegfried
Countries: Kazakhstan
Source: https://water-ca.org
The Badam River, a tributary to the Arys River located in the Syr Darya basin, is a crucial natural resource for ecological, social, and economic activities in the semi-arid region of southern Kazakhstan. The river basin is heavily influenced by manmade water infrastructure and faces water scarcity, particularly during summer, highlighting the importance of understanding its hydrological processes for effective water resource management. In this study, a semi-distributed conceptual hydrological model of the Badam River was implemented using the RS MINERVE hydrological software to evaluate the impacts of climate change on hydrology and to test the resilience of the water system. Connected HBV models were implemented for each of the hydrological response units that were defined as altitudinal zones. The hydrological model was calibrated using daily time steps between 1979 and 2011, and the resulting flow exceedance curves and hydrographs were used to assess the potential impacts of climate change on the basin, using CMIP6 precipitation and temperature scenarios. Future climate scenarios for the 2054 – 2064 period demonstrate that the peak discharge will be shifted to spring/late spring compared to the current early summer with no significant decrease in average discharge per day of the year. The insights gained from this hydrological-hydraulic model can be used to effectively manage the water system and inform future hydropower design decisions and serve as a blueprint for similar studies in the region and elsewhere.
Year: 2024
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Energy
Authors: Hans Holzhacker, Botagoz Rakisheva
Countries: Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan
Source: Central Asian Journal of Sustainability and Climate Research
In July-August, 2023, CAREC Institute, Public Opinion Research Institute, and Asian Development Bank Institute conducted a sociological survey on household energy use in the Fergana Valley spanning over the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The following article uses the data from that survey for investigating what determines the choice of different energy types for heating. The article concludes that high household expenditures for coal and high awareness of the harm fossil fuels can inflict on the environment and family health are insufficient to trigger a large-scale shift towards cleaner energy. To motivate households for such a shift a substantial increase in fossil fuel prices compared to electricity and other clean energy is required. This might call for a sales tax on coal. However, energy expenditure already accounts for up to one-third of household income. Low- and middle-income households would need to be compensated for increased energy spending to avoid social hardship and a backlash against such a tax.
Year: 2025
Collections: Scientific Publications
Topics: Water
Authors: Abdul Basit Da’ie, Hedayatullah Arian, Ahmad Shahir Popalzai, Homayoun Khoshnod
Countries: Afghanistan
Source: https://water-ca.org
Year: 2020
Collections: Research Paper
Topics: Water
Authors: Azami A., Sagin J., Sadat S. H., Hejran H.
Countries: Afghanistan
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