UN Environment Programme reveals that climate change is severely affecting the Caucasus region, with glacier retreat and shrinking freshwater supplies threatening communities
A new report from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) reveals that climate change is severely affecting the Caucasus region, with glacier retreat and shrinking freshwater supplies threatening communities across Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and parts of Iran, Russia, and Türkiye. Released ahead of the UNFCCC COP29 summit, the report outlines alarming environmental changes and calls for urgent, collaborative solutions to mitigate their impacts.
According to the second Caucasus Environment Outlook (CEO-2), glaciers in the region have receded by an average of 600 meters over the past century. Since 2000, more than 11 billion tonnes of freshwater previously stored in ice have been lost. The decline in glacier and snow cover is already affecting river flows, a key water source for millions, with projections indicating further reductions in available freshwater. River flows across most Caucasus countries are expected to decrease by up to 20% by 2100, and recent data already show substantial declines, such as a 26% drop in Armenia and 20% in Azerbaijan by 2020.
The report warns that average regional temperatures could rise by as much as 3.6°C by the century's end, with mountainous areas seeing the most rapid warming. This intensifying heat is expected to speed up glacier melt, increase flood risks, and further reduce water resources. In August 2023, the village of Shovi in Georgia’s Racha region experienced a deadly mudflow, killing at least 24 people. This disaster, triggered by intense rainfall and glacial melt, highlights the severe, immediate risks posed by climate change in the region.
The UNEP report includes 20 maps visualizing environmental shifts and calls for comprehensive measures to adapt to these changes. UNEP’s Europe Office Director Arnold Kreilhuber emphasized the urgency of reducing emissions globally, noting that the Caucasus report "doesn’t just sound the alarm. It provides valuable guidance to help mitigate climate impacts for people and the environment."
To address these challenges, the report recommends integrating climate adaptation into regional policies, prioritizing environmental considerations in urban planning, and developing transboundary water management plans. Enhanced collaboration on data sharing and monitoring is also highlighted as essential for managing the risks posed by climate change in this ecologically and geopolitically complex region.
China has issued its highest-level rainstorm warning as Typhoon Bavi approaches the country’s eastern coast, prompting large-scale evacuations and e...
Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has promised to avenge the killing of his father, while U.S. President Donald Trump said Tehran and Washingto...
A Miami-based tycoon wanted in Albania for allegedly laundering drug money is suspected of faking the deeds to land where Donald Trump’s son-in-law ...
Disease outbreaks, poor sanitation and limited access to clean water could pose major health risks to tens of thousands of survivors of Venezuela’s deadly earthquakes, the Americas branch of the World Health Organization said on Thursday.
A United Nations investigation has concluded that Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) committed atrocities amounting to genocide during their siege and capture of el-Fasher in North Darfur last year, while concern is mounting that similar abuses could be unfolding around al-Obeid.
Afghan officials have agreed to expanded cooperation with the United Nations regarding housing and jobs for returning Afghan citizens.
Cuba said it had reconnected most of the country to the national grid by late on Tuesday (7 July), though millions remained without power as the island nation struggles to generate even one-third of current demand during an ongoing U.S. fuel blockade.
It has been a punishing week for large parts of China, and forecasters warn the worst may not be over. After Typhoon Maysak left a trail of destruction and at least 23 people dead, Super Typhoon Bavi is now threatening the country's eastern coast.
At least 12 people have been killed in forest fires in Almeria in southern Spain, Andalucía’s emergency agency has said, as firefighters continue efforts to put out the blaze.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington has agreed to resume talks with Iran after Tehran requested further negotiations, but declared that last month's ceasefire between the two countries was "over".
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war.
What began as a fan-created chant just months ago has become one of the defining images of this year's FIFA World Cup, with Norway's "Viking Row" sweeping through stadiums, city streets and social media.
This is the last of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Turkish prosecutors have ordered the detention of 36 people, including the mayor of an Ankara district controlled by the main opposition, over alleged bribery and tender-rigging.
Temperatures above 40°C are scorching parts of Central Asia, prompting the World Health Organization to warn that extreme heat is becoming an increasing public health threat across the region.
This is the third of four articles in AnewZ's series examining how conservationists are working to protect and repair damage done to the Aral Sea which lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington has agreed to resume talks with Iran after Tehran requested further negotiations, but declared that last month's ceasefire between the two countries was "over".
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment