Locations2nd National Training Session: Integration of Climate Fragility Risks into Water Policy and Basin Management Plans in Tajikistan
May 12, 2023
11-12 May 2023 Guliston, Tajikistan
Tajikistan experiences multiple natural hazards such as avalanches, earthquakes, floods, mudflows, and landslides every year. In the country for the period from 1997 to 2018, the Committee for Emergency Situations under the Government of Tajikistan registered 3,460 natural disasters. More intense extreme weather events could exacerbate flash flooding and landslide risk in the more mountainous regions. Therefore, UNDP in Tajikistan is promoting mainstreaming of climate-fragility risks and adaptation measures into water policies and basin management plans within the framework of the regional project ‘Climate Change and Resilience in Central Asia’, funded by the European Union.
At the first workshop held in 2022, the project identified thematic priorities, existing climate risks and threats in the Syr Darya River Basins part of Tajikistan. The second technical training brought together over 35 stakeholders and key national partners, which was held on May 11-12, 2023 in Guliston, Sughd region.
In the opening speech Mr. Khakimzoda Khakim representative of Sughd Administration stated that ‘Last year and this winter, we witnessed unpredictable droughts and mudflows, which once again proved the close relationship between water and climate’.
Mr. Lindberg William, Programme Manager at EU Delegation in Tajikistan highlighted that ‘сlimate change affects not only the water sector, but we also feel it in the economy, social spheres and in migration, so climate change and disaster risk reduction is a priority for the EU, and this is indicated in the EU strategy for Central Asia’.
In interactive sessions, participants representing water, agriculture, forestry, emergency situations, environmental protection and Sughd region Administration, youth and women organizations and other climate experts developed a climate profile for the small Isfara and Khojabakirgan rivers.
At the same time, best practices in climate change adaptation and preventive measures in forestry were demonstrated during site visit organized by State forestry department of Sughd region. In addition, the audience got acquainted with the functions of the newly established Syr Darya River Basin Organization and visited the Khojabakirgan river basin.
The main, objective of the 2nd training is to streamline water adaptation measures and further integrate climate risks, response measures to increase resilience to climate change in selected small (transboundary) river basins of Fergana Valley.
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The project "Climate Change and Resilience in Central Asia" is funded by the European Union and implemented jointly by UNDP in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Agency for Hydrometeorology of the Environmental Protection Committee of Tajikistan, and the Hydrometeorological Service Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
