Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Pakistan have received a significant boost in their fight against the impacts of climate change with the approval of a $250 million grant.
The financing is made available by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) programme “From Glaciers to Farms.”
The initiative aims to develop resilient water supply and agricultural systems, while modernising infrastructure to cope with the accelerated melting of glaciers.
In addition to GCF grants, the ADB is contributing $3.25 billion from its own resources to fund the construction of reservoirs, the modernisation of irrigation systems, and improved management of water resources.
The programme will cover nine countries, including Uzbekistan, focusing on the basins of the Naryn, Panj, Kura and Swat rivers. It is expected to benefit approximately 13 million people, ensuring both water security and sustainable agricultural development.
Glacier melt was a key topic during the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), in a joint session entitled “Preventing Glacier Melt in Central and Western Asia.”
In Tajikistan, home to over 14,000 glaciers, more than a thousand have already disappeared, with the rate of melting accelerating.
This threatens both drinking water supplies and agriculture, prompting the Tajik government to propose an International Year of Glacier Preservation, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated international action.
The environmental challenges in the region extend beyond glaciers. The Aral Sea, which has shrunk by 90%, has left millions of hectares of salt flats, creating toxic dust storms carried by winds over thousands of kilometres.
In response, Kazakhstan is launching an innovative project to restore the Aral Sea ecosystem. The Ministry of Science and Higher Education reports that drone-based aerial seeding will be used to plant self-burial seeds in biodegradable material.
A pilot sowing of one hectare is scheduled for spring 2026. If successful, with a survival rate above 20%, the project will expand to 50 hectares in 2027.
The E-seed method is expected to stabilise soil structure, reduce dust and salt emissions, and enhance regional biodiversity. By 2040, the programme aims to rehabilitate at least 50 square kilometres, lower air temperatures by 1–2 degrees Celsius, and improve the local microclimate.
Thus, the region faces two major environmental challenges simultaneously: accelerated glacier melt and the degradation of the Aral Sea.
International investment and innovative technology provide new opportunities for adaptation and recovery, demonstrating that integrated measures across water management, agriculture, and ecosystem restoration can form the foundation for a sustainable future.
The family of the late Virginia Giuffre have urged King Charles III to meet survivors of sexual abuse during his upcoming state visit to the United...
India has purchased crude oil from Iran for the first time in seven years, as supply disruptions in the Middle East threaten global energy markets....
British police have arrested a fourth person in connection with an arson attack on ambulances belonging to a Jewish community charity. The arrest t...
Senegal has taken steps to curb government spending by banning non-essential foreign travel for ministers, as rising global oil prices place i...
Five people have been killed and 19 others injured in a Russian drone strike on a market in the front-line Ukra...
The family of the late Virginia Giuffre have urged King Charles III to meet survivors of sexual abuse during his upcoming state visit to the United States.
India has purchased crude oil from Iran for the first time in seven years, as supply disruptions in the Middle East threaten global energy markets.
British police have arrested a fourth person in connection with an arson attack on ambulances belonging to a Jewish community charity. The arrest took place at a London court on Saturday, where three other suspects were already appearing.
Senegal has taken steps to curb government spending by banning non-essential foreign travel for ministers, as rising global oil prices place increasing pressure on the country’s finances.
One U.S. crew member has been rescued after Iran downed a warplane, while the search continues for a second. At the same time, Iran has officially told mediators it will not meet U.S. officials in Islamabad in the coming days, calling U.S. demands unacceptable, according to The Wall Street Journal.
One U.S. crew member has been rescued after two American warplanes were downed over Iran and the Gulf, as the search continues for a missing pilot, while President Donald Trump has given Tehran 48 hours to agree to a deal to end the war.
One crew member from a U.S. warplane shot down over Iran has been rescued, U.S. officials said, as a search continues for a second crew member.
Residents in Pakistan say they are feeling "crushed" and have to put filling up the tank before putting food on the table. Diesel is set to rise by 55% and petrol 43% as the government hike prices for the second time in a month.
The global commodities market is facing a severe structural supply shock after a series of coordinated military strikes in the Middle East devastated critical industrial infrastructure, threatening the manufacturing base of Western economies.
India has purchased crude oil from Iran for the first time in seven years, as supply disruptions in the Middle East threaten global energy markets.
Switzerland has introduced new visa requirements for Georgian diplomatic and service passport holders, highlighting growing tensions between Georgia and its European partners.
A parliamentary vote in Myanmar has elected junta chief Min Aung Hlaing as president, consolidating his grip on power five years after he ousted an elected government in a coup.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz has hailed the growing importance of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) amid rapidly shifting regional and global dynamics.
The Central Eurasian Venture Forum has brought together investors, start-ups and technology leaders in Tashkent, highlighting the region’s rapidly expanding innovation ecosystem and growing investor interest in AI and digital solutions.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment