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The Thirsty Dragon: Hoping For The Best, Planning For The Thirst
March 11th, 2009
Via Yale’s Environment 360, a report that China is planning to construct 59 reservoirs in the country’s far-western province of Xinjiang to trap runoff from rapidly melting glaciers in some of Asia’s highest mountains. As the article notes: “…Chinese officials said their goal is to retain runoff that might otherwise trickle into the region’s high […]
Read more »Lake Balkhash: A Future Aral Sea?
March 3rd, 2009
Via Registan, an interesting look at Lake Balkhash which – due to the international nature of the watershed, the development of oil in China and heavy industry on the its shores – may unfortunately be on track for a similar fate as The Aral Sea unless China, Kazakhstan and the other Central Asian nations work […]
Read more »The Thirsty Dragon To Become A Hungry Dragon?
February 26th, 2009
As reported by The New York Times, China’s drought continues to have major impact upon the nation, in particular its wheat belt: “…Northern China is dry in the best of times. But a long rainless stretch has underscored the urgency of water problems in a region that grows three-fifths of China’s crops and houses more […]
Read more »Tajikistan and Uzbekistan Sign Water & Power Agreement
February 23rd, 2009
Via Radio Free Europe, a brief but interesting report on a water & power sharing agreement between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. As the article notes “…Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have signed an agreement establishing closer economic ties that will ease the electricity shortage in Tajikistan. Parts of Tajikistan have been without power since December, when Uzbekistan stopped […]
Read more »Tajikistan’s Dam(n) Trust?
February 17th, 2009
Via The Foreign Policy Association, an interesting look at Tajikistan’s considerable freshwater reserves and how they impact (may be impacted) by developments in Central Asia. As the article notes “…In contrast to its’ neighboring countries with vast oil and gas resources, Tajikistan has the actual most important resource in the world, large reserves of fresh […]
Read more »South Asia: 25% of The World’s Population Accesses <5% of The World's Freshwater
February 16th, 2009
Via Celsias, details of a startling new UN report indicating that hundreds of millions of South Asians face growing water stress due to over exploitation, climate change and inadequate cooperation among countries. As the article notes: “…South Asia is home to one-fourth of the global population, including some of the world’s poorest people, who have […]
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