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Why the Aral Sea’s Restoration Matters Beyond Central Asia
April 3rd, 2026
Via The Diplomat, a report on how the Aral Sea’s story demonstrates how human actions can profoundly alter natural systems, yet it also shows that determined cooperation can begin to repair environmental damage that once seemed irreversible: Few environmental disasters illustrate the consequences of human mismanagement as starkly as the fate of the Aral Sea. Once the […]
Read more »Study: Central Asia’s Water Tower to Lose One-third of Glacier Mass by 2040
March 4th, 2026
Courtesy of The Diplomat, reports on a new study that suggests Central Asia’s water tower will lose 1/3 of its glacier mass by 2040: The Tian Shan mountains, also known as the water tower of Central Asia, are a crucial source of water for regional agriculture, industries, and millions of people across the Central Asian […]
Read more »Drought May Test Central Asia’s New Cooperative Approach
March 4th, 2026
Via The Diplomat, a look at whether the new ties that bind Central Asian countries strong enough to weather drought? Every year, rain and snow that falls in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan provides water for millions within their borders. Winter snow in the mountains melts in spring to fill hydropower reservoirs. Summer rain waters crops. But […]
Read more »Kazakhstan Battles Shrinking Caspian Sea To Keep Key Sectors Churning
February 20th, 2026
Via Nikkei Asia, a look at how Kazakhstan is battling a shrinking Caspian Sea to keep key sectors churning: From Aktau’s seaside promenade, a stretch of gorse flecked with ice separates the city from the waves. The sea, already more than 30 meters from the embankment, is still receding. “You can’t fail to notice it,” […]
Read more »Putin’s Pipe Dream: Russian Scientists Discuss Project to “Redirect” Siberian Rivers
November 21st, 2025
Russian scientists have reportedly asked the Kremlin to fund a feasibility study on diverting water from Russia’s Ob River down to Central Asia. The $100B plan would see a massive plastic pipeline carry up to 22 cubic km (5.3 cubic miles) ofw ater through Kazakhstan into Uzbekistan annually. This idea builds upon a similar Soviet-era […]
Read more »Caspian Sea Level Fallen So Much that Russia and Kazakhstan To Dredge a Channel to Offshore Wells
July 27th, 2025
The water level of the Caspian Sea has fallen to its lowest level in recorded history, restricting the ability of ships to pass through former channels, especially in the sea’s northern portions. In response, Russia and Kazakhstan have announced plans to dredge a channel through increasingly shallow waters to allow their ships to pass. Russia’s […]
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