Nukus to host international conference on Aral Sea issues 

The upcoming event is aimed at boosting the investment flow and strengthening regional cooperation in implementing innovative and technological approaches for improving the livelihood of people in the region as well as the environment of Aral Sea Area.

For the first time the idea of transforming Area Sea Area to a zone of environmental innovations and technologies was raised by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev during the Summit of Heads of the Founder States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea on August 24, 2019 in Turkmenbashi city.

The High-Level Conference will be focused on developing measures to create conditions for attracting foreign investment in the development and implementation of environmentally friendly technologies; taking integrated approach in implementing the principles of a green economy, environmentally friendly, energy- and water-saving technologies; ensuring food security; desertification prevention, environmental migration and development of ecotourism.

The event will be attended by the representatives of official and expert circles from Central Asia, Europe, Americas and Asia, including United Nations and its special institution, other leading international and financial organization, private sector and media.

Dying up of Aral Sea is the tragedy transcending national and regional borders. Undeniably, it is one of the biggest environmental catastrophes caused by human activities, environmental, climatic, socio-economic and humanitarian consequences that pose a direct threat to the sustainable development of Uzbekistan and the countries of the Aral Sea region. Noteworthy, the problem also affects the global ecosystem as a whole.

The Aral Sea disaster aggravated the climatic conditions in the region, increasing dryness and heat in the summer, prolonging cold and harsh winters. According to experts, by 2035-2050, the temperature in the region may increase by another 1.5-3°C in comparison to current indicators. This, in turn, accelerates desertification, creating a vicious circle of growing climate anomalies, including destructive salt storms that harm several countries.

Unfortunately, full restoration of the Aral Sea doesn’t seem possible, yet its negative consequences can be mitigated. The most important task of the present time is to reduce the destructive impact of the Aral Sea crisis on the environment and the livelihoods of millions of people living in the Aral Sea region, as well as mitigate or prevent the aggravation of further deterioration of climate impacts.

The upcoming conference will lay the groundwork for the practical implementation of the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev aimed at turning the Aral Sea region - experiencing the consequences of one of the most disastrous environmental disasters of our time - into a region of hopes and opportunities by attracting advanced technologies and innovative solutions to various sectors of the economy and implementing major social infrastructure projects.