Climate-sensitive Water Resources Management in Central Asia


The Climate Sensitive Water Resources Management in Central Asia project strengthens national and regional organisations responsible for water resource management in Central Asia to implement climate-sensitive integrated water resources management in a regionally coordinated manner. Switzerland will contribute to this initiative which is designed in the frame of the German led, GIZ implemented Green Central Asia High-Level Platform. 

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Central Asia
Water
Climate change and environment
Water diplomacy and security
Water resources conservation
Disaster risk reduction DRR
01.06.2023 - 31.05.2027
CHF  2’400’000
Background The nexus between water, energy and food security continues to be a key factor in the interstate relations of Central Asian (CA) states. In the past 6 years cooperation on natural resource management among CA countries has seen positive dynamics but often focus remains on reactive uncoordinated individual solutions. Climate change is emerging as a critical security risk. National and regional organisations responsible for water resource management are not in a position to implement systematic, regionally coordinated climate-sensitive and integrated water management. Institutional and technical capacities to implement policies, strategies and plans for climate-sensitive IWRM and exchange and joint planning among countries is insufficient due to a lack of concrete examples of implementation and inappropriate technical equipment.

Building on the results of the Berlin Process and designed out of the Green Central Asia High-Level Dialogue Platform led by GIZ, the Project will allow to further the long-standing and robust track record of both Germany and Switzerland in supporting CA countries in issues around natural resources management.
Objectives The national and regional organisations responsible for water resource management implement climate-sensitive integrated water management in a regionally coordinated manner.
Target groups Regional (IFAS and its sub-institutions, CAREC) and national decision-makers, experts and managers in the relevant ministries and state authorities. The indirect target group is the local population in the water catchment areas of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya.
Medium-term outcomes Opt 1: Joint institutionalised river basin planning at regional (International Fund for saving the Aral Sea - IFAS and suborganisations) and national (water, environment, agriculture, energy ministries, scientific institutes) river basin level for climate-sensitive integrated water resource management has been implemented;
Opt 2: National and regional river basin organisations are trained in the implementation of climate- and gender-sensitive integrated water resource management and apply it in their activities;
Opt 3: National and regional water managers jointly implement initiatives on sub-themes of climate-sensitive integrated water resource management and agree on their maintenance and other governance aspects, such as information and data exchange. 
Results

Results from previous phases:  

 

 


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO
  • Other international or foreign NGO North
  • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ)


Coordination with other projects and actors Blue Peace Central Asia, National Water Resources Management Programs in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Climate-Sensitive IWRM in the Zarafshan Basin, Governance of Transboundary Aquifer program (planned) (SDC); Green Central Asia, Integrated Land-Use Project, climate-risk management project in CA (BMZ); other Team Europe Initiatives in Central Asia (EU and others)
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    2’400’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    1’349’000
Project phases Phase 1 01.06.2023 - 31.05.2027   (Current phase)