LocationsRemarks by Dr. (Ms.) Pratibha Mehta,
UNDP Resident Representative
Plenary Session “Water Security for Peace and Development”
Date/time: 19th of October 2021, at 10.30 a.m.
Venue: Hyatt Regency Hotel / Online
Excellencies, Distinguished Participants,
Let me begin by expressing deep appreciation to the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS), for convening today’s Conference. UNDP is very pleased to be part of this important discussion on water and security nexus.
Water is the source of life. And globally it is under threat. Demand for water is increasing, but at the same time there is unprecedented levels of erosion, degradation and depletion of water resources due to climate change, increased demographic pressure and pollution.
The indispensable value of water for sustainable and inclusive development led to the adoption of a specific SDG 6 in Agenda 2030, and we know that without water none of the other SDGs, on health, food security, resilience to climate change or fight to overcome COVID-19 pandemic can be achieved. In other words, water is fundamental for peace and security.
Central Asia (CA) is one of the few regions in the world where water security is inextricably linked with energy, food, and the environment. A vast network of rivers flows into the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, the two main water bodies of CA, which cross the entire region before emptying into the Aral Sea.
Central Asia will be severely affected by climate change even if global mean temperature increase is limited to 2 °C above pre-industrial levels[1] due to the potential for multiple impacts to occur simultaneously and interact with wider development challenges. Risks will be strongly amplified if the 2 °C threshold is exceeded.
In Central Asia, a particularly complex challenge is the water-food-energy nexus because electricity and food production rely on scarce water resources. Increasing frequency of climate-induced extreme weather events and disasters can put communities and their livelihoods at risk, which in turn can push people to migrate on a large scale or to turn to illegal sources of income. Climate-induced disruption of food production and increasing food prices can lead to social instability. Impacts on energy production caused by higher temperatures and lower precipitation, as well as threats to energy production and transmission infrastructure from extreme weather events put supply chains and energy supply at risk. Increasing demand for water and an unreliable supply increase pressure on existing water governance arrangements and can complicate political relations, particularly at transboundary basins already affected by tensions.
The adverse impacts will be felt most by people who are already vulnerable due to gender, age, or disability, or who are involved in rain-fed subsistence agriculture or pastoralism. In rural mountainous areas, where men often migrate for work, women and children remain and tend to be more directly exposed to impacts of climate change. UNDP has been proud partner of the Governments across Central Asia, in tackling both water and climate change related challenges, especially in Ferghana valley, the most densely populated area shared by three Central Asian countries: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyz Republic.
Given the transboundary nature of climate risks and shared natural resources, climate action can be seen as an entry point for strengthened regional cooperation. It is of paramount importance to pursue an enhanced regional policy dialogue on climate-fragility factors and resilience, climate resilient basin-wide management of water and natural resources being a priority for all countries in Central Asia. Benefits of the regional approach also include complementarity, economies of scale, experience sharing and strategic planning and financing.
We are convinced that in the current context it is the nexus approach that can lay a strong foundation for addressing many issues and developing green and sustainable economy. That is why, today’s discussion and comprehensive review of water, energy, food, climate and peace is particularly relevant and important, and I’m looking forward to it.
Thank you very much.
[1] Keeping average warming below 2 °C is the goal set in the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
