The introduction of paid water use is being actively discussed in Central Asia as a way to ensure the region’s water security. Kyrgyzstan has become one of the leaders in this initiative, approving the principles of economic assessment and paid use of water resources.
What happened?
The President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov proposed that Central Asian countries return to a system of mutual compensation in the water-energy sector. He made this statement at the Regional Ecological Summit (RES 2026), which was held in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, on April 22-24.
Japarov emphasized that in recent years, the number of emergencies in Kyrgyzstan has significantly increased – landslides and floods have become three times more frequent, and the annual damage amounts to about $16 million. In addition, the glacier area has decreased by 16%, and by the end of the century, the republic could lose up to 80% of its glaciers.
