ASTANA, April 22. /TASS/. The melting of glaciers is intensifying globally, which leads to a higher risk of water-related natural disasters, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon said at a plenary session of the Regional Ecological Summit held in Astana.
"The rapid process of glacier melt is gaining momentum worldwide, leading to a disrupted water balance, posing threats to the environment, and increasing the risk of water-related natural disasters," the president said. He noted that up to 60% of Central Asia’s water resources are formed on the territory of Tajikistan, which emphasizes "the importance of the country’s mountain ecosystems for ensuring water supply and the sustainable development of the region." According to him, the accelerating glacier melting and their reduction are of particular concern - "out of 14,000 Tajikistan’s glaciers more than 1,300 have entirely melted."
The Tajik president noted that the ecological summit is held amid climate change, ecosystem degradation, water scarcity, and natural disasters posing serious risks both for Central Asia and the world as a whole. "This, of course, requires coordinated action," he concluded.
The Regional Ecological Summit is held in Astana under the auspices of the UN from April 22-24. Several thousand delegates are participating in it, including around 100 high-ranking representatives of states and international organizations. A meeting of the Council of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea founding states is to be held on the sidelines of the summit, with the presidents of Central Asian countries participating in it.