Dushanbe (TDI): Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon on Friday urged the global community to take urgent and decisive steps to protect glaciers and strengthen the multilateral cooperation for comprehensive monitoring of glaciers.
He said this while addressing the “High-Level International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation,” jointly held by Tajikistan and United Nations (UN) along with Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and other global leaders in Dushanbe.
“I want to make it clear that glaciers’ preservation is not just an issue of countries with glaciers but rather an international crisis that deserves the urgent attention of the global community,” Rahmon said.
He also suggested conducing the broad monitoring and scientific research to better understand the dynamic issues of glaciers and the impacts on ecosystems, water resources, socio-economic problems, and global climate change.
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Urging actions to reduce the speed of glacier melt; he suggested that nations with the ability to collect accurate data on the situation of glaciers, especially through satellites, should establish a regular exchange of information with states that lack such capacities.
He demanded for collective measures to address the socio-economic impacts of glacier melting, including its effects on water availability, ensuring food security, generating electricity, protecting cultural and natural heritage.
Rahmon said, “We should make efforts to ensure the full implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and take the required steps to prevent an increase in global temperature.”
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He further said that particularly in mountain areas, the rapid melting of glaciers is resulting in floodss, mudslides, and landslides, which significantly damages infrastructure.
President Rahmon added that Tajikistan with 93% of the territory covered by mountains, remains vulnerable against natural calamities related to water, including rapid melting of glaciers.
