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Water Tension In Central Asia
October 9th, 2009
Courtesy of The Open Economy, a detailed look at the growing water crisis in Central Asia. We have covered this several times previously in this forum but, given the increasing severity and likelihood of transnational tensions, it seems useful to address it once again. As the article notes: “…At first glance, China’s neighbour Kyrgyzstan, with […]
Read more »A Dying Aral Sea Gives Rise To Increased Tensions In The Region
September 29th, 2009
Via Window on Eurasia, a report that demise of the Aral Sea, the loss of which is already having an adverse effect on two-thirds of the 50 million people in Central Asia, is rapidly increasing tensions in the capitals of the five countries of the region and could spark new and larger military conflicts among […]
Read more »Hydro-Solidarity and Transboundary River Issues in Central Asia & The Middle East
March 20th, 2009
Via Terra Daily, an interesting look at three of the most challenging regions managing trans-boundary river issues and the chance for “hydro-solidarity” to overcome rising tensions in the Middle East and former Soviet Central Asia, both water-deprived regions with rapidly growing populations along with rising agricultural, industrial and energy requirements. As the article notes: “…Three […]
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 »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 »Russian Interest in Central Asian Water
February 1st, 2009
Via Terra Daily, an interesting report on Russia’s increasing interest in Central Asia’s water resources. As the article notes “…Within the “Stans” — former Soviet republics Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — an added element in the matrix is water, used by Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan largely to generate hydroelectric power, while the downstream states […]
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