Islamabad (TDI): The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched an ambitious regional program “Glaciers to Farms” to combat the adverse effects of climate change, particularly accelerated glacial melt, in Pakistan, Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
The initiative aims to promote sustainable water management and food security in these regions, where climate change has exacerbated threats to ecosystems and livelihoods.
Funded in part by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the program will conduct comprehensive risk assessments of glacial melt in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to provide a scientific foundation for future actions.
During a high-level meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, on November 14, regional leaders signed a declaration supporting glacier preservation.
Signatories included Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Ecology Yerlan Nyssanbayev, Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Natural Resources Meder Mashiev, Tajikistan’s Environmental Protection Chairman Bahodur Sheralizoda, and Uzbekistan’s Climate Change Minister Aziz Abdukhakimov, The Times of Central Asia reported.
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Masatsugu Asakawa, ADB President, stressed the urgency of the program, stating, “As melting glaciers change water flows, destroy ecosystems and disrupt lives, we must act now. This initiative represents a critical step in delivering on-the-ground solutions for communities at risk.”
Temperatures in the region are projected to rise by up to 6°C by the end of the century, threatening ecosystems and water supplies critical for agriculture and hydropower.
Over 380 million people depend on these resources for their livelihoods.
The “Glaciers to Farms” program seeks to mobilize $3.5 billion in funding from ADB, GCF, governments, and private sector partners.
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Investments will focus on water and agriculture, with priority given to vulnerable mountain communities facing the greatest risks from glacial melt.
As part of global efforts, the United Nations has declared 2025 the “International Year of Glacier Preservation”.
Tajikistan will host the “International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation” in Dushanbe next year.
