Water under the spotlight of reforms: Uzbekistan is launching a new plan for the Lower Amu Darya – a region experiencing ecological stress may get a chance for recovery through integrated resource management. At the international exhibition Eco Expo 2026, the concept of integrated water resource management was signed, which sets a new approach to water distribution and conservation in the basin.
The document was developed within the framework of the Aral Sea Wetlands project with the participation of the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Global Environment Facility. The concept was signed by representatives of relevant ministries and the environmental agency. The initiative should become the basis for transitioning to a more coordinated management system that takes into account the interests of agriculture, the communal sector, energy, and natural ecosystems.
The plan covers the territories of Alat and Karakul districts of Bukhara region, as well as Amu Darya and Muynak districts of Karakalpakstan. It provides for the digitalization of water accounting, the introduction of water-saving technologies, and demand management. Special emphasis is placed on the restoration of the Aral Sea region wetlands, biodiversity conservation, and increasing the region's resilience to climate change.
