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Global experience in adapting to climate change and water resources management
Studies show that over the last 30 years, water consumption per capita in Uzbekistan has decreased by 53% (from 3048 cubic meters to 1438 cubic meters). Additionally, in the last 10 years, Uzbekistan's annual water consumption has averaged 52 billion cubic meters, which is 20% less than in the 1980s (64 billion cubic meters).
Uzbekistan is among the leading ten countries in the world affected by drought. In the future, the likelihood of droughts is expected to rise significantly. Moreover, by 2030, the country's water supply could decrease to 45.2 billion cubic meters, while the total water demand could reach 60-61 billion cubic meters. That is, the total water resource deficit could reach 15 billion cubic meters (in 2015, the country's total water deficit was 3 billion cubic meters).
Uzbekistan is paying close attention to climate change and water scarcity issues. In particular, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasizes the urgency of climate change and water conservation issues at international events. For example, at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) held in Baku, the President noted that climate change has become the main global threat today, increasing geopolitical tensions, and directly affecting the ability to overcome poverty, ensure food and energy security, and manage water and resources. The President also proposed expanding Uzbekistan’s practical contribution to jointly overcoming the consequences of global climate change, increasing technical assistance from developed countries and international institutions for developing nations to identify climate risks, and developing a Declaration within the United Nations framework to ensure the health and ecological safety of river ecosystems.
It is important to study foreign experience in climate change adaptation and water resource conservation. Learning from global experiences, analyzing local scholars' and water resource experts' data, and visiting facilities has shown that Uzbekistan can greatly benefit from introducing water-saving technologies and international water quality standards. This is especially relevant for the agricultural sector and industrial water supply.
Research findings from foreign countries regarding water resource deficit issues suggest that specialists recommend introducing practical mechanisms to reduce water deficits, as well as mitigating the effects of climate change. For example, countries like India, Australia, Jordan, and South Africa are facing water scarcity and seeking solutions to meet future water demand.
Scientific research by local and foreign scientists and hydro-technicians has shown that mechanisms for reducing water deficits can be divided into three groups. Specifically:
— Introducing water-saving technologies can reduce water consumption, and in many cases, this is more economically efficient than building new infrastructure.
— Increasing the available water resources and ensuring access to additional water sources is crucial for addressing water deficit issues. In addition to large investment projects, underground water usage projects are being considered since these sources are superior to all other freshwater resources.
— Distributing water resources among consumers – Analyzing the economic efficiency of water consumption shows that states use water resources inefficiently, channeling a large portion into sectors with low added value.
For example, Saudi Arabia has used costly reverse osmosis technology to produce water for wheat exports. In this country, transitioning to economically-based tariffs for all consumers is a key mechanism for effectively distributing water resources and maximizing benefits for the economy.
According to foreign experience, the following factors are crucial for reducing water deficits:
— Introducing innovative technologies for water conservation in regions with limited water resources.
— Reprocessing or recycling water, introducing modern water purification systems, and rationally using water in the industrial and public sectors.
— Strengthening areas along rivers, improving snow accumulation systems, optimizing snowmelt intensity, restoring forests in water-dividing regions, based on experiences from Turkey and other countries.
International experience shows that successful implementation of water-saving technologies in Uzbekistan’s arid regions will be one of the key mechanisms to ensure the country’s economic stability in the future.
