Ministry of Energy: 80% of climate change in Tajikistan is related to water
Timely financing plays a key role in the fight against climate change, said Deputy Head of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Tatarstan Jamshed Shoimzoda.
Tajikistan faces serious challenges related to climate change, especially in the area of water resources, which account for more than 80% of the impacts of climate change in the country, First Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan Jamshed Shoimzoda said in an interview with Report.az on the sidelines of the COP29 conference in Baku.
According to him, Tajikistan, which forms 60% of Central Asia’s water resources, is acutely affected by climate change, which is already having a serious impact on water resources. Melting glaciers pose a particular threat.
“Due to climate change, the country has lost more than a thousand microglaciers over the past 30 years. These are irreparable losses that significantly affect the water balance of the region. In this regard, urgent measures are required. Statistics confirm the seriousness of the problem: 80% of climate change in Tajikistan is related to water. To solve these issues, not only national but also regional cooperation is needed,” Shoimzoda said.
Climate funding delayed
National adaptation efforts are important, but international cooperation is needed to combat global and regional challenges. Joint mechanisms, including financial support, environmental initiatives and infrastructure development, play a key role, Jamshed Shoimzoda emphasized.
According to him, timely and sufficient climate finance plays a key role in combating climate change. He noted that the process of transferring funds from international financial partners is often delayed, which makes adaptation measures irrelevant.
Shoimzoda supported Azerbaijan’s emphasis on the issue of financing, adding that without operational and long-term support it is impossible to effectively respond to modern climate challenges.
On Tajik-Azerbaijani cooperation
Shoimzoda paid special attention to the energy sector. Tajikistan uses only 5% of its hydropower potential, and 95% of the energy generated is already green.
Azerbaijan’s initiatives to create a “green corridor” open up prospects for exporting Tajik energy to Europe, he noted. The countries are also discussing joint development of mineral resources.
“We are just beginning to develop the extraction of mineral resources, while Azerbaijan has rich experience in this area,” Shoimzoda added.
On Tajikistan’s goals at COP29
The main mission of the Tajik delegation at COP29 was to draw attention to the issues of glacier conservation. Thanks to Tajikistan’s initiative, the next year has been declared the International Year of Glacier Conservation by the UN.
The organization of the event, according to Shoimzoda, was at the highest level.
“This is my fourth SOR and the level of organization is really impressive,” he added.
Tajikistan continues to actively adapt to the challenges associated with climate change and sees the solution to the problem in close international cooperation, concluded the Deputy Minister of Energy of the Republic of Tajikistan.
