Central Asian states face high climate change risks

Subject

Climate change in Central Asia.

Significance

As the Central Asian states emerge from months of sweltering summer temperatures, attention is increasingly turning to the effects of climate change. In a region always short of rainfall and dependent on glacier-fed rivers, rising global temperatures look set to have deeper and swifter impacts than in many other parts of the world.

Impacts

• International climate change responses will have limited impacts on Central Asian specifics.
• Regional structures may become more effective as the situation's urgency becomes apparent.
• One part-solution involves repairing irrigation canals to reduce massive leakage.