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Rogun hydropower station can lead to dangerous catastrophe in Central
Asia
July 21,2011
Popular Russian public-political publication Federalnaya Gazeta (Federal
Newspaper) published an article of chief editor Zulfiya Bonoeva “Rogun
Project – catastrophe for Central Asia”.
The author raised actual issue on water use, construction of large
hydropower stations at trans-boundary rivers, and its destructive impact
to ecologic system of the region.
The article underlines that nature shows its character to humanity.
Global climate change, natural and man-caused catastrophes, which cause
to large number of victims, are evidence for it.
In this context, the author noted that construction of gigantic dam –
Rogun hydropower station – at Vakhsh river, can lead to dangerous
catastrophe for all region of Central Asia and create threat to life of
50 million people.
The paper cited Academician and honourable director of Institute of
Seismology of the Science Academy of Tajikistan Sabit Negmatillaev, who
said that there were earthquakes with magnitude of nine in Tajikistan
territory, Karatag, in 1907, in Pamir in 1911 and in Hait in 1949,
similar to that earthquake in Japan in March 2011. Academician
forecasted that it is expected that in next ten years, there will be
similar earthquake in Pamir-Hindu Kush mountain chain.
The article said that in case of earthquake, like in Japan, there will
be sharp growth of tension at dam. It added that dam will not be able to
stands such pressure and will fall, creating real tsunami.
Break of dam will result in catastrophe in Central Asia, first of all,
for Tajikistan. The catastrophe will also damage other waterworks
facilities at Vakhsh cascade and flood large number of cities and
settlements in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, the article
added.
The Russian paper said that in case of break of Rogun dam, the height of
wave, which will rush down-stream, will make at least 100 meters and its
destructive power will be higher than Japanese tsunami.
The article quoted expert of French Geopolitics Institute
Pierre-Emmanuel Tommann, who said that construction of Utopian
hydropower projects in Central Asia with large dam is unsufficiently
considered in the view of consequences.
French expert said that intention of Tajikistan to construct Rogun
hydropower station is extremely risky. He called all those, who realize
this project, to listen to voice of sense and solve all issues based on
general norms and principles of international law.
Construction of Rogun power station, the author underlined, can also
negatively impact glaciers, which feed Vakhsh river.
At the end of the article, the author said that hydro power problem can
be solved due to small hydro power stations, which will not change
rivers-bed and their construction is more economically attractive.
www.UzDaily.com
Switzerland to help train water management specialists
July 19, 2011
An Uzbek-Swiss agreement on implementation of the project “Development
of professional skills in the field of water management in Uzbekistan”
was signed in Tashkent.
The document was inked by the first deputy minister of higher and
specialized secondary education, director of the Center for specialized
professional secondary education Jahongir Ismailov and the ambassador of
Switzerland Ann Boti.
The goal of the project is to create a new model of cooperation among
the professional colleges and water resources management enterprises in
preparation and retraining professionals for the sector.
The three-year project will be implemented in nine colleges in Ferghana,
Namangan and Andijan regions. They will become regional centers for
training professionals for the water management, supply and canalization
systems. Besides, working specialists will be able to raise skills in
these colleges.
The signed project is part of the Agreement on technical and financial
cooperation and humanitarian assistance signed between Uzbekistan and
Switzerland in 2002. The share of the Swiss side in the project is USD
3.4 million.
www.uza.uz
World day to combat desertification and drought observed in Tashkent
June 17, 2011
Tashkent hosted a seminar on 17 June 17 devoted to World Day to Combat
Desertification and Drought. The seminar, organized by the Centre of
Hydrometeorological Service at Cabinet of Ministers and State Committee
for Nature Protection, was attended by scientists, experts,
representatives of relevant ministries and international organizations.
First Deputy General Director of the Centre of Hydrometeorological
Service of Uzbekistan B.Kadyrov, deputy chairman of the State Committee
for Nature Protection K. Sodikov and others noted the impact of ongoing
work of the rational use of land resources, improvement of soil
fertility, attraction of modern technologies in Uzbekistan. Specific
activities are undertaken to improve land reclamation, rehabilitation of
drainage networks, and reduction of erosion of pastures.
In accordance with the decree of President Islam Karimov of 31 October,
2007, the Ministry of Finance established the Fund for the amelioration
of irrigated lands, which serves to increase the efficiency of work in
this direction.
As a result of work in the construction, reconstruction, repair of
irrigation facilities, improving soil fertility, 12,893 kilometers of
drainage networks were cleared in 2010, improving reclamation of 266,000
hectares of irrigated land.
Drying of the Aral Sea is a major cause of desertification in the
region. In 1995 Uzbekistan signed the UN Convention to Combat
Desertification. Center of Hydrometeorological Service at Cabinet of
Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan is considered the national
executive agent of the convention.
On the basis of national programs, established by the relevant
government, community organizations in collaboration with environmental
programs and UNDP, large-scale projects are being implemented.
Scientists and specialists conduct effective research in order to
stabilize the environmental situation in the Aral Sea and to prevent the
vanishing of sand dunes in the steppe regions, by improving soil
fertility and application of advanced technologies in agriculture.
The workshop heard presentations on the accomplishments in the fight
against soil erosion and desertification, the execution of tasks on the
prevention of desertification identified in the national program
strategies and activities on regional cooperation in land management,
information systems implementation in water resources use.
www.uza.uz
Ramsar
Convention's 40th anniversary marked
February 03, 2011
The Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan held an event devoted to the 40th
anniversary of the Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran on 2
February 1971 and known as the Ramsar Convention.
The aim of the convention is to preserve the nature in its initial form,
protect the flora and fauna and ensure rational use of natural
resources.
At present, a large number of projects is being implemented to pursue
the tasks set out in the intergovernmental treaty, ratified by 160
countries, including Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan ratified the Ramsar Convention in 2001, and has carried out a
widescale work to implement the document.
In particular, Dengizkul lake in Bukhara region was included in the list
of wetlands of international importance. The basins of Aidarkul-Arnasay
lakes were included in the system of internationally protected lakes.
The event participants listened to reports on implementing international
norms in using natural resources and protecting the environment,
ensuring ecological safety in the country and other issues.
www.uza.uz
New approach is needed to solve environmental problems – experts
November 24, 2010
International conference on transboundary environmental problems in
Central Asia was held in Tashkent on 16-17 November. Some of its
participants spoke to UzA.
Sanjay Kumar Pandey, Professor, School of International Studies (India):
“The Aral Sea region is provided with water from two main sources – the
Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. Therefore, the giant hydropower station
and dam construction project in their upper reaches can cause very
serious damage to ecology of the region and lead to dangerous man-made
socio-environmental and humanitarian consequences. It is clear that the
reduction of the volume of water will also affect the water balance and
sustainable development.
“To solve transboundary and environmental problems in Central Asia,
establishment of an open dialogue and new approaches to the issue are
required. The international environmental conference organized in
Tashkent is a good example of this approach.”
Trevor Tanton, Professor, University of Southampton (UK):
“The conference on transboundary environmental problems in Central Asia
was dedicated to very important issues, because today’s environmental
problems in the region of Central Asia are of global significance.
“We had the opportunity to get acquainted with the environmental
situation in the Sariasiya district of Surkhandarya region of
Uzbekistan. One cannot remain indifferent seeing the tremendous damage
that is caused to the environment, public health, flora and fauna by
emissions of the Tajik Aluminum Plant. The main reason for this is the
plant’s outdated technology.
This company should promptly update its equipment and technology. This
will help reduce the harm to the environment.”
Yuri Bondarenko, Director General, Ukrgidroenergostroy consortium
(Ukraine):
“I believe in the conditions of Central Asia, especially in the
mountainous areas, it is advisable not to build large hydropower plants,
but small power stations, which carry a much lower risk. The
international law in this area requires conduction of an independent
international expertise and a detailed study of all of its aspects.
“Having familiarized with the situation in Sariasiya, I was convinced
that the Tajik Aluminum Plant is making a huge damage to the area.
Indifference is unacceptable here. This multi-faceted and dangerous
problem should have been solved long ago in a unified and coordinated
way. The administration of the plant should modernize the enterprise and
provide it with new green technologies.”
www.uza.uz
Toward Sounder Environment The Tashkent Environmental Declaration is
signed
November 22, 2010
Tashkent hosted the international conference “Transboundary
Environmental Problems of Central Asia: Application of International
Legal Mechanisms for their Solution.” It was crowned with the signing of
Tashkent Environmental Declaration.
Over 250 delegates took part in the international forum consisting of
representatives from more than 30 foreign countries, 60 international
organizations. The conference was organized by the Environmental
Movement of Uzbekistan. The day before the conference experts, academics
and ecologists had the opportunity to get familiarized with the
situation in the Aral Sea area and Surkhondaryo region where the
environment and health of population are affected by the negative
influence of detrimental industrial discharges of the Aluminum Plant of
Tajikistan.
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov sent his welcoming letter to the
conference participants where he noted: “At the turn of millennia the
world faced unprecedented problems and calls linked with abnormal
natural changes that threaten to life of the mankind, existence of flora
and fauna across the globe. Unfortunately, Central Asia faces these
burning threats as well where the thoughtless regulation of major
transboundary rivers and construction of ecologically negative
industrial objects implemented in the second half of the last century,
have brought our region to the verge of ecological disaster.”
The head of the state has also underscored that today it is necessary to
save the nature for the present and future generations, to save it from
new dangerous projects that could worsen the living conditions of
population in our and other regions.
The President of Uzbekistan also has expressed confidence that the views
of participants would be heard by the international financial
institutions, organizations and other interested structures on which it
depend the protection of present and future generations from tragic fate
to live in conditions of bad ecology.
So, at the final Tashkent Ecological Declaration the experts have come
to the common conclusion that it is impossible to admit the artificial
reduction of volumes and regime of run-off of transboundary rivers to
the Aral Sea that could bring to deterioration of the ecological
situation in the Aral Sea zone, health of the population, living
conditions of millions of people of the area. It is also necessary to
carry out measures on restraining the expansion of desertification and
soil salinization through the tree-planting and other agrotechnical and
special actions in the ecological disaster zone.
The declaration also stipulates the necessity of creating the conditions
for the expansion of employment and growth of incomes of the population
in ecologically unhealthy regions of Uzbekistan at the expense of
development of small business, first of all, less-water-retaining
industrial and agricultural productions, as well as sphere of services.
During the forum the international experts repeatedly urged the
governments of the countries and international organizations to unite
the efforts in solving the transboundary problems and decreasing the
ecological threats linked with the Aral catastrophe, building of hydro
constructions in upper streams of transboundary rivers of Central Asia
and expansion of aluminum manufacture in region. The participants also
offered to support the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan in its activity
on the environment protection, as well as taking into account
transboundary influence, and also the involvement in this process of the
wider public.
“The fact that Uzbekistan raises and discusses these problems and ready
to adopt the experience of other countries in order to find the solution
is worthy of respect. This is quite timely conference. It is obvious
that the countries of the region ought to cooperate and solve the
current ecological problems together. The actions undertaken by Tashkent
create the basis for it. International codes should be kept. After all,
we all strive for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and
ecological safety is one of the main components of it,” noted M.
Gopalakrishnan, Secretary General, International Commission on
Irrigation and Drainage.
Parviz Morwedge, Director, Global Scholarly Publications, Professor at
the State University of New York said the Aral Sea is the ecological
catastrophe not only of Central Asia but the whole world as well. Toxic
chemicals from the bottom of Aral Sea were found in the blood of
penguins in the North Pole.
“Uzbekistan makes everything to resist the ecological threats. However,
all world scientific, academic and diplomatic circles should participate
- irrespective of national differences. All of us should make the
contribution in combating consequences of this catastrophe of the
universe,” he underlined.
The attendees of the plenary sessions of the conference noted that
irrational use of water resources have been occuring during the last
decades in Central Asia caused the change of the runoff regime of the
rivers Amudaryo and Sirdaryo that led to one of the sharpest global
ecological tragedies - drying of Aral Sea. Experts are assured that
large-scaled projects on building of hydro constructions with huge dams
in upper streams of the transboundary rivers of Sirdaryo and Amudaryo
can cause an irreparable damage.
“It is necessary to consider that the area round Aral Sea is supplied
with water due to the streams of two main rivers – Amudaryo and Sirdaryo.
Any reduction of water of these rivers means radical infringement of
existing frail ecological balance of the whole region. Therefore, the
building of Rohun hydroelectric Power Station, the project of which was
developed 40 years ago, should be immediately stopped. It is rather
difficult to imagine the scale of humanitarian disaster which can be
evoked by the dam construction. There is a reasonable offer for the
region countries – to build small hydroelectric power stations,” noted
the head of the magazine “Business. Culture. Sports”, Austria.
Not all countries of the region joined the UN Water Convention and it
interferes to the efficient management of transboundary water
resources.“In case of building of Rohun hydroelectric power station, it
is rather uncivilized approach of Tajikistan that is considered the
first user. As sources of all water resources are formed just in the
territory of this country. This phenomenon should get more civilized
character where interests of the neighbouring states should be
considered and the norms of international conventions implemented,”
considered Nikolay Monastyrev, head of the Scientific Research Institute
“Ecology and Alternative Energy”, Ukraine.
During the discussions it was noted that the international financial
institutions and organizations should promote strengthening the
ecological stability of the region, including through the fair efforts
for interaction with the civil society residing within the zone of
influence of projects till the approval of these projects and openness
of dialogues.
“There are certain agreements signed by states, and moreover, there are
international documents regulating the relations in similar situations.
Now it is necessary to initiate legal acts, to conduct researches,
monitor the situation in transboundary rivers. It is also necessary to
study the state of rivers within this period. It should be impartial,
and the member countries should work together. The experience of the
European countries illustrates that it is possible to do. Today, any
democratic state should take into account the interests of other
countries, international norms in solving the transboundary problems,”
commented Bella Krasnoyarova, chief researcher, the Institute for Water
and Environmental Problems.
The conference participants comprehensively discussed the issues
concerning the negative influence of harmful industrial emissions to the
environment produced by the Tajikistan Aluminum Plant during the last 35
years.
“We visited Surkhondaryo region and saw by ourselves the problems the
locals face. The first action that should be done is to reduce harmful
emissions. Probably, it is necessary to organize any regional forum,
association on wildlife management where the interests of the states
should be considered,” stressed Nikolay Monastyrev.
As a whole, during the conference and visits to Aral Sea area and
Surkhondaryo region it was repeatedly noted in similar situation none
can stay indifferent. It is time for decisive actions for the sake of
life of future generations of the region because it directly depends on
the ecology situation today.
www.sarkaritel.com
Ecological
disaster Waiting to happen in Uzbekistan
November 20, 2010
Environmental issues and ecological disasters are
gradually assuming the centre stage of international security. The
international community is already seized of this serious issue and
initiatives being launched both at the global and regional to avert
the dreadful impact it would have on mankind. If we wish to leave a
safe and a healthy planet for our future generations, measures have
to be taken now.
It is with the aim of spreading awareness on this issue, especially
those relating to Uzbekistan, that the just concluded international
conference was held. Uzbekistan has two major environmental concerns
among others. |
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One is the drying up of the Aral Sea once considered as the fourth
largest enclosed lake now reduced to a mere skeleton of its former
glory. The second major concern is the aluminum plant in Tajikistan near
the Uzbek border. The plant of soviet era relic is polluting four
districts of Surkhondarya with disastrous impact on the flora, fauna and
importantly on human beings.
Participants to the conference were taken to these main environmental
sites; the Aral Sea and the districts of Surkhondarya region to assess
for themselves the deep adverse impact it has had. The second day was
devoted to presentation of papers and discussions of this problem. The
nearly hundred delegates drawn from various countries included expert’s
academies, diplomats and administrators. From the visit to the two
environmentally degraded sites it was clean that.
• A collaborative and a cooperative approach is essential as these
issues respect no boundaries.
• International organization such as the U.N. or the European Union
should be encouraged to play a more active role. The European Union’s
strategy for central Asia included environmental problems. E.U.
engagement on the issue can be further activated.
• A coordination committee should be set up to monitor developments on a
regular basis, so that international agencies can take appropriate
action.
Prof. Nirmala Joshi
Professor (Retd.) JNU
www.sarkaritel.com
Uzbekistan pursues consistent work to solve environmental problems
November 19, 2010
International conference “Transboundary environmental problems in
Central Asia: application of international legal mechanisms to solve
them” was carried out in Tashkent on 16-17 November. UzA correspondents
asked the opinions of some of the forum participants.
Carlos Fernandez-Jauregui, director of global network for water
assessment and counseling of WASA-GN (Spain):
“Our company consults on use of water. Today, management and efficient
use of water resources are one of the most urgent issues in the world.
“The actions to solve the environmental problems of the Aral Sea basin
states, the use of natural water resources, including streams of
Amudarya and Syrdarya, should be based on mutual consent and beneficial
for everyone. Issues of joint water management in the region should be
solved on the basis of international norms. National interests of all
countries in Central Asia must be taken into account.”
Jean-Jacques Brian, expert on health, disability and food (France):
“Human health and life depend largely on the purity of air, water and
soil, as well as products rich in natural and useful microelements.
However, the Aral Sea salt dust reaches even the remotest areas, and
toxic substances emitted by aluminum plant in Tajikistan destroy the
natural balance in southern Uzbekistan, and all this causes serious
damage to human health.
“The Aral Sea tragedy has been worrying the world for many years.
Tashkent international conference is crucial for the future of the
region. Improving the current situation depends primarily on solving the
problem of water use. Successive measures taken by Uzbekistan to settle
the environmental issues serve to improve the situation. Joint effort,
interaction of all states in the region and of all countries are very
important.”
Isabelle Lo, chairman of the Council on the Environment (Singapore):
“The drying of the Aral Sea as a result of reduced flow of Amudarya and
Syrdarya is a striking example of how disastrous the consequences can be
of irrational use of water resources. It is very distressing that along
with loss of economic and ecological significance of the Aral Sea, huge
salt dunes have been formed on the drying seabed.
“In order to solve on the Aral Sea crisis, ensure sustainable
development and improve the living standards of the people and the
environmental situation, joint action by countries of Central Asia and
representatives of international organizations is required.”
Onur Orhan, expert of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry
(Turkey):
“International conference on transboundary environmental problems in
Central Asia focused on the most urgent issue of today. Uzbekistan and
Tajikistan should reach a mutual agreement on the activity of the Tajik
Aluminum Company, which is one of transboundary environmental problems
in Central Asia and represents a threat to human life, flora and fauna.”
www.uza.uz
Transboundary
environmental problems discussed
November 18, 2010
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One of the most important tasks for the whole mankind today is to
preserve the environment and ensure environmental sustainability,
including through effective solution of transborder issues, without
which sustainable development in the 21st century is impossible.
This was the topic of the international conference “Transboundary
environmental problems in Central Asia: application of international
legal mechanisms to solve them” held in Tashkent on 16-17 November. |
The forum was attended by experts, scientists and environmentalists from
30 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Britain, Germany, India,
Spain, Italy, Canada, China, South Korea, Netherlands, Russia, USA,
Turkey, Ukraine, France, Switzerland and Japan, as well as
representatives of more than 60 international organizations and
financial institutions – the UN, OSCE, World Health Organization, World
Bank, World Wildlife Fund, World Conservation Union and others.
The Chairman of the Board of the Central Council of the Ecological
Movement of Uzbekistan, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of
Oliy Majlis Boriy Alikhanov opened the conference.
The First Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Rustam Azimov read the
message from the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov to the
participants of the international conference.
Protection and preservation of the environment are of great importance
for further progress, including food security, and in general for
achieving the Millennium Development Goals, especially in today’s
conditions of climate change, said secretary-general of the
International Commission for Irrigation and Drainage M.Gopalakrishnan.
He stressed that the use of water resources should not be considered
only in terms of hydropower energy. In complex regions like Central
Asia, use of small power stations is preferred, he said.
“The Aral Sea disaster is one of the reasons to raise the question of
the expediency of building giant hydroelectric plants,” Gopalakrishnan
noted.
He praised the creation of the Environmental Movement of Uzbekistan, as
well as amendments to the electoral laws that made it possible for the
environmentalists to occupy seats in the parliament. |
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According to him, to address environmental issues, especially
cross-border ones, an open dialogue is required, and one good example of
this approach is the current international conference in Uzbekistan.
Speaking to forum participants, head of the Ecological Movement Boriy
Alikhanov drew the attention to the fact that many cross-border
environmental problems in Central Asian region were a direct result of
the reckless economic activity in the past.
This is primarily the consequences of the Aral Sea crisis, which are
increasingly acquiring global nature, and the desire of some states of
the Aral Sea basin to implement projects on construction of huge hydro
structures disregarding the interests of other countries.
Another issue he raised was the activity of the Tajik Aluminum Company
(TALCO), which has for over 35 years caused huge damage to the nature,
health and socioeconomic development of the southern regions of
Uzbekistan.
The participants emphasized that after attaining independence Uzbekistan
has paid a lot of attention to environmental protection and public
health, improving the ecological situation in the country and throughout
the region. The country has a legal framework created in line with
international standards, aimed at rational use of natural resources and
protecting people’s health.
Several state programs and national action plans are also being
implemented in this area.
Uzbekistan has ratified major UN conventions and other international
documents in the field of environmental protection and sustainable
development, and has been fulfilling all of its commitments.
“This work, held with active involvement of non-governmental
organizations, is an integral part of a complex socioeconomic policy of
the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, carried out in the interests
of security and human rights, including the right to dignified life in
supportive environment,” said professor at New York State University
(USA) Pervez Morvidge. One proof of the effectiveness of this policy is
the GDP growth of 8.1 percent last year, despite the global economic
crisis. Uzbekistan today sets an example for many nations in solving
economic and environmental problems.
The scholar noted that all countries should take into account the
ecological interests of each other. At the same time, he drew attention
to the inadmissibility of the situation when one country builds
industrial plants, and the population of the neighboring states suffers
from it.
Editor of the Austrian magazine “Business, Culture, Sport” Manfred Tichy
said that all countries should abide by relevant UN convention on
transboundary watercourses. He said that their trip to the Aral Sea
showed that the unreasonable use of water resources has in a short
period of time led to environmental disaster and human suffering. Rogun
hydropower station is a vivid example when one country tries to
implement the project that would harm another country. The 30 to
40-year-old project, born during the Soviet megalomania, which does not
meet the requirements of environmental and technological safety, should
not be implemented,” he said.
The editor stressed that Austria was also a mountainous country, and the
evaluation of the project has shown that in such regions it was
extremely dangerous to build gigantic dams, especially since this area
is seismically dangerous. He noted that mountainous countries of Europe
had decided to recommend to other similar regions to construct small
hydropower stations, which are much less expensive, cost-effective and
most importantly safe.
Foreign experts have emphasized in their speeches that it was President
of Uzbekistan who first drew the world attention to the urgency and
importance of environmental issues, many of whom have already moved
beyond the regional level. Among them, in particular, is the complex set
of environmental, socioeconomic and demographic problems of planetary
impact in the Aral Sea region.
President Karimov, in his speeches at international high-level meetings,
called on the international community to come together and adopt
comprehensive measures, not only for improving the environmental
situation, but also to create the enabling environment and living
conditions of future generations. On the initiative of the head of
Uzbekistan, Nukus and Tashkent declarations were signed, and the
International Aral Sea Rescue Fund was created. At the meeting of the
fund heads of states in April 2009, President of Uzbekistan put forward
the concept of the third phase of the Program of Action to Assist the
Aral Sea Region for 2011-2015.
The participants were able to see for themselves how serious the
problems discussed at the conference were. One day before the event, a
group of conference participants visited the Republic of Karakalpakstan,
namely Nukus and Muinak district, and saw the disastrous consequences of
the shrinking of the Aral Sea. Another group visited Sariasiya district
of Surkhandarya region, whose population and economy has been affected
by the negative impact of harmful emissions from the TALCO plant.
The conference participants were struck by the consequences of human
destruction of local ecosystems, causing a disastrous effect on human
health, flora and fauna, leading to land degradation and creating a
threat of humanitarian catastrophe. In addition, before the conference
an exhibition of photographs from the zones of ecological disasters –
the Aral Sea and Surkhandarya was organized.
The volume of the Aral Sea, once one of the largest inland bodies of
water of the planet, has shrank 13 times, and the area more than 7
times, the water level has dropped by 26 meters, the salinity in some
parts has reached 280 grams per liter. On the dried Aral seabed, a new
desert with the area of more than 5 million hectares has formed. Many
small lakes have also dried up.
Annually, up to 100 million tons of saline dust rises into the
atmosphere from here. More than half of the gene pool of flora and fauna
in the Aral Sea region has been lost, and many species are listed in the
Red Book as endangered. These negative processes are accompanied by loss
of land resources, worsening living conditions, and difficult
socioeconomic development of the Aral Sea area.
The Regional Advisor on Environment of the European Economic Commission
Bo Libert said that all of this was a consequence of past approaches to
economic development through the uncontrolled consumption of natural
resources. He noted that any activity in the sphere of nature use must
be based on the principles of preventing harm to the population, ecology
and environmental management.
According to the expert, Uzbekistan today demonstrates the effectiveness
of the complex solution of development issues, and actively participates
in the implementation of UN conventions on environmental issues. Many
international organizations, including the World Bank, are collaborating
on this area with Uzbekistan, carrying out large joint projects,
including those on water resources management.
At the conference, it was noted that a very complex ecological situation
was being observed in the border areas of Surkhandarya region of
Uzbekistan with Tajikistan, from where the winds, ground and surface
waters distribute hundreds of tons of pollutants emitted by TALCO. The
most dangerous to human health, flora and fauna are components of its
emissions like hydrogen fluoride, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and
carbon monoxide.
The damage to the environment and health of the population of the
southern regions of Uzbekistan has been estimated in hundreds of
millions of dollars. Back in 1994, an Uzbek-Tajik intergovernmental
agreement on cooperation in improving the environmental situation in the
area of the negative effects of the Tajik Aluminum Plant was signed.
However, many of the planned activities were not implemented, the
technologies applied at the plant have outdated, and a number of
cleaning plants are not operating. Despite this, the plant plans to
expand production, which means increase in toxic emissions – according
to preliminary estimates from 21,700 to 32,000 tons per year.
In the view of the international experts, projects of construction of
new giant hydro stations upstream of transboundary rivers Amu Darya and
Syr Darya, primarily Rogun HPS, pose the risk of destruction of the
already fragile ecological balance in Central Asia. They emphasized that
the desire of some countries to exploit cross-border water resources in
violation of international norms, without consideration of interests of
other states in the region, was causing great anxiety.
As international experience and research results show, possible
consequences of such construction are extremely dangerous. Such actions
may not only deepen the ecological crisis in the Aral Sea area, but also
lead to technological and humanitarian disasters, making vast areas
uninhabitable for millions of people.
In this regard, executive director of the US Banks Information Center
Chad Dobson drew the attention of the conference participants to the
fact that large-scale hydropower projects should be implemented for the
benefit of the entire population of the region, for their prosperity,
and not for one country or individual production, which is also
environmentally harmful. International financial institutions sometimes
substitute the concepts.
Power generation facilities should primarily be used not to build new
environmentally unsafe aluminum industries, but to address the immediate
needs of the population, including stable supply of electricity, he
said. According to Chad Dobson, the World Bank and other financial
institutions should cooperate with civil society, listen to their
opinion, and make decisions only after the majority of the population
supports such projects. All interested parties should be able to
participate in making decisions about the construction of these hydro
stations. The expert expressed his belief in the need for extensive
public consultations on these issues to ensure the transparency of all
procedures.
Hydropower projects planned to be implemented now have long been
outdated, they do not take into account the high seismicity of the zone
of the construction, which is up to 9 on the Richter scale, as well as
landslide and mudflow processes occurring here. For the last 110 years,
more than 20 strong earthquakes have been registered here. In world
practice, there are no precedents of construction of giant hydropower
stations in such areas. Rogun HPS project in Tajikistan envisages
raising the dam with the height of 335 meters, which has no analogues in
the world.
In the case of its destruction, the height of the wave at the initial
point will exceed 250 meters, and at 1,500 kilometers from Rogun, in
Karakalpakstan, the wave will reach 6-7 meters in height. Areas up to
1.5 million hectares will be flooded, including over 700 settlements on
the territory of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan,
where about 5 million people live.
Even with the most favorable conditions, the work of the Rogun HPS in
the planned energy regime would lead to sharp deterioration of living
conditions of millions of people in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya.
The salinity of water in the river will double, and its flow during the
growing season will be significantly reduced. Direct losses of crop
production, and related processing industries and fish resources are
estimated at almost USD 20.6 billion over five years.
In this regard, the conference participants emphasized that there were
alternative options for obtaining the same amount of electricity like
Rogun would provide by building small hydropower stations, which is much
cheaper and does not create the above mentioned threats. President of
Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, in his speech on 20 September at the UN Summit
on Millennium Development Goals, highlighted much greater rationality of
such approach to the development of hydropower sector.
The head of the state has repeatedly drawn the attention to the fact
that any construction projects on transborder rivers should be conducted
only on the basis of international expertise, which should ensure that
the volume and flow regimes of the rivers is not violated, and the
ecological situation in the region does not deteriorate.
The conference concluded that all regional states should strictly abide
by international norms acting in this sphere. In accordance with the UN
Conventions on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and
International Lakes, and on Non-Navigational Uses of International
Watercourses, the Helsinki Rules of Using the Waters of International
Rivers, the Geneva Convention on the Impact of Hydropower Production to
Other States and other international documents, coordination of
construction and conditions of operation of hydropower facilities with
all countries located in transboundary river basins should be mandatory.
During the conference, thematic sessions were held, which discussed the
problem of transboundary pollution in Central Asia, improvement of
cross-border cooperation through integrated water resources management,
children’s health, conservation of biodiversity in ecologically
disadvantaged regions, climate change in the Aral Sea region, influence
of large industrial enterprises on the environment and other pressing
environmental issues.
On the results of the conference, the Tashkent Environmental Declaration
was adopted. It notes that regional states should strive for
cross-border cooperation, in accordance with the key international
documents defining basic principles of management of transboundary
rivers, to prevent harm to other states of these rivers’ basin. It
recommends to precede the construction of any large hydropower station
in the upper reaches of transboundary rivers in Central Asia with an
independent international technical and environmental audit, conducted
in a transparent manner for the benefit of the population of all states
in the region.
The declaration also notes that international financial institutions and
organizations should contribute to environmental sustainability in the
region, including through collaboration and open dialogue with civil
society in all countries in the zone of impact of proposed projects.
The document stresses that in accordance with recommendations of
international environmental organizations, it would be more rational to
commence construction of safer and more fuel-efficient small power
plants, as well as to expand the use of environmentally friendly
renewable energy sources, including solar and wind power. The conference
participants also recommended to take necessary measures to ensure that
the level of emissions from the aluminum enterprise is within
international norms.
The Declaration identified the major environmental problems in Central
Asia. These are avoiding artificial reduction of the volume and flow
regime of transboundary rivers, implementation of measures to curb the
spread of desertification and soil salinization in the zone of
ecological disaster and to create conditions for increasing employment
and income growth in this area through the development of small
businesses, primarily industrial and low water consuming agricultural
productions, as well as services sector.
The participants called on the governments and international
organizations to join efforts in addressing transboundary environmental
problems and reducing environmental threats. They stated that
international environmental organizations should support the
Environmental Movement of Uzbekistan in its efforts to protect the
environment.
All of this should ensure a more balanced way to solve the problem of
transboundary natural resources, and harmonize the socioeconomic and
environmental development across the region.
Nobody has the right to cover their needs at the expense of others and
nature, which should be preserved for future generations, the conference
said.
www.uza.uz
Projects of Gigantic Hydropower Plants in the Central Asian Region
Threaten the Security of Millions of People
March 05, 2010
Construction projects of gigantic hydropower
facilities in Central Asia are a great concern for all those who
objectively review the possible consequences of their hasty
implementation. Uzbekistan fundamentally and consistently calls for the
need of an independent international assessment of such projects’ impact
on environmental and water balance in the region, as well as threats of
anthropogenic disasters.
Today this view is shared by many independent experts in various
countries. For example, the article “Epos rather than reality: the fate
of the mega hydropower plant in Central Asia remains unclear...” written
by the director of the Bishkek branch of the Institute for CIS
Countries, doctor of historical sciences, professor, member of Russian
Geographical Society, Aleksandr Knyazev, and published in several online
news agencies, gives an unbiased, deep and thorough evaluation of the
problem.
It is an impartial opinion of the author, who could not be suspected of
lobbing anyone’s interest.
He notes that the water basin of Amudaryo and Syrdaryo rivers
constitutes a single organism providing water supply and well-being in
Central Asia. He underscores that the interests of Uzbekistan in the use
of transboundary rivers of Syrdaryo and Amudaryo are not just ignored in
the upper reaches. “The fact that Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are already
running construction of hydrotechnical facilities allows us to speak
about large-scale threats to security, first of all for Uzbekistan, as
well as Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan,” Aleksandr Knyazev writes.
At the same time, the expert draws attention to the fact that “there are
strict international regulations that govern the construction of such
facilities which are ignored in the upper reaches of rivers. However,
neither Kyrgyzstan nor Tajikistan are signatories of all international
conventions associated with this issue, particularly the Convention on
the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International
Lakes (Helsinki, March 17, 1992), which Russia adheres to since October
1996, the Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of
International Watercourses (New York, May 21, 1997) and many others.
However, because of purely selfish understanding of their own national
interests, the two republics, got stuck on hydropower plant projects as
a certain cure to save their economies, and stubbornly insist on the
implementation of these plans using semi-primitive methods, due to
scarce and mostly borrowed budgets and in endless search for a foreign
investor.
He also recognizes the absurdity of the allegations that the country in
whose territory the transboundary waters are formed may dispose it at
their discretion, and the invalidity of debates about which of them are
internal, and which are not.
“If we proceed from the fact that the rivers Narin-Syrdaryo and Amudaryo
with their inseparable feeder Vakhsh are transboundary watercourses (it
can be easily seen on a map), then Kyrgyzstan simply does not have the
right to build Kambarata hydropower stations without permission from
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Tajikistan has no right to build a
hydroelectric power station on the transboundary river without the
consent of not only Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, but also Turkmenistan
which is located downstream. It does not matter how many times we say
that Vakhsh is an internal river, it still is one of the main feeders of
Amudaryo, so in this case all the international principles on the use of
transboundary rivers must be applied,” pointed out Aleksandr Knyazev.
The author clearly declares that “the current situation with Rogun
hydropower plant can be easily compared with the Kyrgyz Kambarata-2,
which Kyrgyzstan is also building on their own. Both of these projects
are finally crimes directed against their own people, and neighboring
countries. The quality of this construction clearly does not meet the
necessary requirements - a dam for Kambarata-2 that is being built can
serve as an example of that. After unique, in general blasting works in
December last year for the transfer of soil, Kyrgyz builders did not
achieved the necessary results. Not to mention the fact that the created
ground obstruction did not reach the design height, irregularities in
the blasting operations resulted in a large number of voids, which are
now being primitively covered: by raking up and pouring ground from
outside. The safety of such facility is quite arguable.”
He noted the challenge of ensuring the safe operation of existing
hydropower facilities repeatedly raised by experts: “It would be far
more efficient to put in order Tajikistan’s Nurek and Kyrgyzstan’s
Toktogul hydropower stations and their reservoirs inherited from the
USSR. In both cases, the small accumulation of water is connected, along
with objective reasons, with the fact that throughout the post-Soviet
time, no one has been seriously engaged in preventive work, upgrading of
these stations, siltation of reservoirs exceeds all permissible limits.
The recent accident at Nurek hydropower plant brought no serious
consequences, but it is a quite serious signal both to Tajikistan and
Kyrgyzstan.
In the context of all these issues Knyazev declares: “Therefore we must
reach agreement. Otherwise - nothing prevents Uzbekistan from blocking
Rogun, Kambarata, whether any of them will be built, even if it will
require military intervention. And the leadership of Uzbekistan would
probably be right, since it will be ensuring the safety of not only ten
million of its own population, but also the safety of the population of
the three regions of Kyrgyzstan (Osh, Jalalabad and Batken), and one of
Tajikistan (Soghd) located in the Kambarata projects’ zone, the Farg’ona
Valley.”
“We can only be sure about the fact that the construction of new dams on
the background of reductions in water and its growing deficits, its use
for energy purposes, without serious consideration can lead to extremely
negative consequences for the water balance and sustainable
development,” writes Aleksandr Knyazev.
The expert agrees with Uzbekistan’s demands to comply with the
requirements of the country’s interests and security of its population.
“Each country has its own national interests, so the only solution is to
find a compromise, each side must make concessions. And the behavior of
Uzbekistan can not be called aggressive, more likely - extremely
worried. The leadership of Uzbekistan is absolutely right, if it is
already thinking about the possibility of applying the most serious
action against Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan the interests of Uzbekistan will
not be taken into account in these projects. And the emotionally
discussed height of the dams and their character is not that important,
but the quality of dams, scientific approach in defining the potential
volume of reservoirs, everything associated with the margin of safety,
security - these are all to be the most important things.”
The author cites his Russian colleagues who acknowledge such facts as
“unfounded, illiterate use of energy resources, inefficiency and
backwardness of the technologies, lack of qualified engineers and
skilled workers.”
And, finally, the last argument of the initiators of construction of
large-scale hydropower facilities is huge economic benefits that
allegedly can be obtained as a result of their construction and
operation are estimated by the scientist with great skepticism.
“...The big question is also the economic feasibility of the projects,”
he writes, analyzing the calculations of highly questionable payback for
these projects.
At the same time he concludes that for the population it would be much
more efficient, economically profitable and safer to build a network of
small hydropower stations in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Speaking of potential external participants of these projects, the
author warns: “We all remember how a few years ago, the Chinese side
quickly shut down the Zarafshan hydropower plant construction project in
Tajikistan - identical to those inRogun and Kambarata, but with
smaller-scale, realizing the possible conflict with Uzbekistan, a key
country in the region. The recent proposals of the Kyrgyz side to
participate in the hydropower projects were treated with barely hidden
skepticism by China.
In this regard, he also notes: “Naturally, Russia’s hydropower
activities abroad should not be a source of regional conflict that, in
relation to projects in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, seems quite real.”
The published article is not always straightforward. Not all the
proposals and conclusions of the scientist can be agree on, for example,
in the part concerning the establishing water and energy consortium. But
fundamentally important is that Knyazev is aware of the seriousness of
the problem, recognizes the validity of the anxiety, Uzbekistan’s
concern about the potential of large-scale threats to safety of millions
of people living in the region.
www.ut.uz
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