Agricultural exports play a significant role in Uzbekistan’s economy, but this makes the country vulnerable to climate change. Suna Park, Advisor to the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, Director of the National Center for Green Transformation and Adaptation to Climate Change, spoke about how the weather affects the economy of the Republic of Uzbekistan .
According to the expert, the air temperature in Central Asia has increased by 1.5 degrees in 30 years. This is twice the global average. In addition, over the past 50-60 years, the area of glaciers in the region has decreased by 30%.
These factors lead to water shortages, soil degradation and increase the risk of natural disasters.
“Untimely actions to reduce the impact of climate change can lead to serious problems in agriculture. In turn, a decrease in harvest volume will lead to a decrease in production, a reduction in farmers’ incomes and an increase in prices for agricultural products in the country’s markets,” said Suna Park.
In turn, water shortages lead to a reduction in electricity generation at Uzbek hydroelectric power plants. These power plants are an important source of electricity production in the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Today, the volume of water deficit in the republic is 3 billion cubic meters. According to forecasts of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), by 2030 the shortage of water resources may increase to 7 billion cubic meters. By 2050, this figure will increase to 15 billion cubic meters.
Climate change can also have a negative impact on the health of the population. Among the possible problems are malnutrition and infectious diseases. According to experts, more than two million climate migrants may appear in Central Asia by 2050.
“In this regard, climate change is the focus of the government of Uzbekistan. The fight against climate change is an integral and one of the most important parts of the country’s state policy,” Park added.
Earlier, Kursiv wrote that global GDP will shrink by 19% due to climate change.
https://uz.kursiv.media/2024-04-25/kak-uhudshenie-klimata-vliyaet-na-ekonomiku-uzbekistana/
