Background
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Strengthening well-functioning regional cooperation in Central Asia
The combined impact of climate change — already shrinking the glaciers that feed Central Asia’s vital rivers — and rapid population growth is intensifying the region’s environmental pressures. These developments carry serious implications for economic stability, regional security, and migration patterns.
Recognizing the urgency, the European Union’s 2019 Strategy for Central Asia positions the EU as a key partner in transforming these challenges into opportunities. Because these issues transcend borders and demand trust-based, cooperative solutions, the EU is committed to a regional approach focused on environment, water, and climate resilience.
Building on the success of joint efforts to mitigate risks from the region’s uranium legacy sites, the current initiative will expand regional cooperation in water monitoring — particularly where contamination from legacy sites threatens ecosystems and communities. This is not just a technical fix; it’s a strategic investment in shared prosperity and long-term stability.
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Water Monitoring Programs Background
In early 2011, the EU initiated a regional Environmental Remediation Programme for Central Asia following requests from partner countries. The programme aligns with UN General Assembly resolutions from 2013 and 2018 addressing radiation threats in the region. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, together with the EU and international partners such as UNDP, IAEA, EBRD, and OSCE, have advanced remediation efforts at seven priority uranium legacy sites.
Environmental impact assessments, feasibility studies, and cost estimates have been completed, with independent peer reviews conducted by IAEA experts. The EU established an Environmental Remediation Account managed by the EBRD to fund remediation projects, contributing €26.5 million, supplemented by donations from Norway, the US, Switzerland, and Belgium. The first remediation works began in Kyrgyzstan in 2020.
A Strategic Master Plan led by the IAEA was endorsed by Central Asian countries in 2017, defining site priorities and coordinating responsibilities among regional and national programmes. The Coordination Group for Uranium Legacy Sites under the IAEA oversees project implementation and facilitates information exchange.
Complementary EU-funded ISTC projects include hydrochemical monitoring and risk assessment of uranium tailings in transboundary river basins, remote sensing-based water and land resource monitoring in the Amu Darya basin, and development of harmonized legal frameworks for supervising uranium waste remediation in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. These efforts enhance regional cooperation, data sharing, and regulatory oversight to mitigate environmental and health risks linked to uranium legacy contamination.
WRHMCA
The WRHMCA project stands as a beacon of regional resilience and foresight, dedicated to mitigating the profound risks posed by uranium legacy sites and water pollution across Central Asia. By pioneering the establishment of sophisticated regional water monitoring systems along transboundary rivers and their tributaries, and by strengthening laboratory capacities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, this initiative ushers in a new era of collaborative environmental stewardship.
Through meticulous evaluation and strategic enhancement of existing national frameworks, the project transcends borders to forge a unified regional monitoring network. Anchored in a harmonized technological foundation and streamlined decision-making processes, this system empowers swift, informed responses at the local, national, and regional levels, safeguarding communities and ecosystems alike.
At its core, the project envisions a resilient, interoperable monitoring system equipped with reliable laboratory instrumentation and sensors, thoughtfully tailored to the unique conditions of each partner country. Designed for efficiency and sustainability, these technologies promise low operational and maintenance demands, while facilitating seamless data exchange during environmental emergencies. The creation of a comprehensive standard operating manual and a robust quality management system—shared among all partners—ensures that data collection, storage, and analysis maintain impeccable integrity and compatibility.
Central to this innovation is the deployment of a secure, cyber-resilient Decision Support Tool (DST) in every partner nation. This tool anchors daily operations and accelerates data sharing when confronted with crises such as floods or contamination events, enabling decisive action when it matters most. By integrating this advanced monitoring infrastructure into each country’s existing Environmental Security Management System, the project further enhances the capacity to amalgamate diverse data streams from national authorities. This integration fosters a profound understanding of climate change’s dynamic impacts on vital natural resources and critical infrastructure, fortifying the region’s ability to anticipate, adapt, and thrive.
The WRHMCA project is not merely a technological endeavor—it is a testament to the power of regional solidarity and visionary leadership in confronting environmental challenges. Together, the partner countries are building a resilient future where knowledge and cooperation transform risks into opportunities for sustainable growth and security.