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Central Asia’s Thirsty Future Industries
June 3rd, 2026
Via The Diplomat, commentary on whether Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are yet grappling with the water needs of next-generation industries: Central Asia is home to one of the most infamous human-caused ecological catastrophes: the dramatic drying-up of the Aral Sea. That disaster was rooted in systemic mismanagement of the region’s water resources in pursuit of cotton […]
Read more »Central Asia’s Next Growth Story Runs on Water It Does Not Have
June 3rd, 2026
Courtesy of The Diplomat, a look at how Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are committing billions to mining, nuclear power, data centers and AI infrastructure at the same time that the region’s water supply is becoming less abundant, less predictable and more legally constrained: MINEX Kazakhstan 2026, held in Astana on April 15-16, brought together roughly 1,000 participants from […]
Read more »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,” […]
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