Nukus-2023 Global problems. Ecology in Karakalpakistan

The Aral Sea Problem

The problem of drying of the Aral Sea began in 1960 after diverting of a part of Syrdarya and Amudarya rivers’ flowing to irrigate cotton and rice fields on the territory of Uzbekistan and southern Kazakhstan. As a result the sea has been steadily shrinking, and exposing the bottom, full of salt. Every year, 150 million tons of salt are rising from the bottom of the Aral Sea by winds. By 2007 the sea's area shrunk to 10% of its original size. Sea drying slightly affected the climate of the region, which has become more continental: summer has become more dry and hot, winter - more cold and prolonged.

The disaster caused considerable damage to the population of the Aral Sea region. The number of diseases such as tuberculosis, and also such infectious and parasitic diseases as typhoid, paratyphoid, hepatitis, hypertension as well as psychosomatic illness has increased. Medical experts establish linkage between these diseases and shrinking of the sea.
Mitigation of consequences of the ecological crisis in Uzbekistan are solved comprehensively at the state level. The laws governing the use of natural resources and activities in environmental protection were adopted. The country acceded to the main international instruments in this field, including the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes. Extensive programs aimed at the overall socio-economic development of the situated in the Aral Sea region Republic of Karakalpakstan and Khorezm province, are implemented..Many international organizations including UN agencies, financial institutions such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and others also promote to the stabilization of the situation in the Aral Sea region. An international conference "The problems of the Aral Sea, their influence on the gene pool of the population, flora and fauna and measures for international cooperation to mitigate their effects" was held in Tashkent on March 12, 2008 on President Islam Karimov’s initiative. As a result of the forum Tashkent Declaration of the international conference was adopted.