Central Asia has launched a major new environmental initiative — the Central Asian Water and Land Nexus Programme (CAWLN) — aimed at strengthening climate resilience, improving natural resource management, and restoring ecosystems across the region. The programme is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the National Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Ecology and Climate Change in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The official launch took place in Samarkand during the 20th Conference of the Parties to CITES (CITES CoP20).
The programme has a total budget of USD 18.4 million and addresses shared environmental challenges faced by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. These challenges include land degradation, water scarcity, rising anthropogenic pressure, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. Although the region is rich in natural resources — including the river basins of the Amu Darya, Syr Darya, Zarafshan, Pyandzh and Naryn, as well as mountain, steppe and desert ecosystems — nearly 50% of its land is degraded, resulting in annual economic losses of up to USD 6 billion.
During the launch event, participants were introduced to CAWLN’s priority areas, which include integrated water and land management, ecosystem restoration, strengthening agricultural resilience, reducing deforestation, improving early warning systems, and enhancing transboundary cooperation. Speakers — Jusipbek Kazbekov, Deputy Chair of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, and Sherzod Umarov, Deputy FAO Representative in Uzbekistan — emphasized the significance of regional coordination and knowledge-sharing.
The programme comprises seven major projects, with four involving Uzbekistan directly. These initiatives aim to improve water management in major transboundary basins, restore degraded land, support biodiversity and ecosystem services, and enhance the resilience of vulnerable landscapes. Funding for the projects ranges from USD 2 million to USD 5.84 million.
The event concluded with the official signing ceremony of Uzbekistan’s CAWLN projects, reaffirming national and regional commitment to sustainable natural resource governance. Participants stressed that the launch of CAWLN marks an important step toward improving water security, reducing land degradation, protecting ecosystems, and strengthening climate resilience across Central Asia.
📌 Source: National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan
