Central Asia plans joint response to increasing flood risks
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Emergency officials from five Central Asian countries approved a plan to lessen the effects of floods and mudflows during a forum held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on October 19 to 20.
The officials signed a protocol outlining a regional roadmap and a concept for improving city resilience to disasters and climate change through 2030. Participants from across the region discussed working together to protect against natural disasters like mudflows, floods, and earthquakes, and to adapt to a changing climate.
They also agreed to improve how they coordinate international responses to large emergencies and considered establishing a regional training centre for rescuers in Tajikistan. The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) presented its work in Uzbekistan, including climate risk assessments for river basins and the digitization of 700 years of meteorological data for the country’s weather service.
GIZ also supported pilot projects like drip irrigation systems and a real-time monitoring system for endangered species in Zarafshan National Park, a protected area. Organisers reported that floods have impacted over 1.1 million people in the region since 1991, causing more than $1 billion in damage. The forum also launched the “Sustainable and Climate-Oriented Urban Development in Central Asia” project, which will support six cities in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan in developing environmentally friendly urban plans.
