Main Activity

Research and Assessments

Research program

A comprehensive research program for the Platform is still to be developed and agreed on. As for today, the survey have determined that a special focus of the Platform's activities is to conduct interdisciplinary strategic research on water security and sustainable development with a view of developing scenarios, strategies and policies for mutually beneficial coordination of the interests of the Central Asian countries and addressing economic, political, social and environmental problems affecting regional policies.

The platform experts from Central Asia identified following thematic areas for their research:

  • Regional climate change adaptation strategies including an assessment of possi-ble water scarcity scenarios for 2020-2035, 2035-2050 and beyond; all based on the various climate change projections, population growth and water resources requirements for the countries (inclusive of Afghanistan) of the Aral Sea Basin
  • Planning and feasibility studies for common integrated water, energy, food and environment nexus policies on a regional scale
  • Planning and feasibility studies for modernized integrated, water and agriculture policies exploring options going from sub-national (planning zone) to national and regional perspectives
  • Development of regional water strategies in coordination with the roadmap of the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028” as formulated in the Dushanbe resolution and including application of appropriate legal frameworks
  • Organization of a regional capacity development program for future researchers, water leaders and diplomats on different (regional, national, local) levels
  • Security issues related to the situation in Afghanistan and other countries in the region and that continues to be dependent on policies of external powers
  • Issues of common regional interest related to the China led Belt and Road initiative aiming at a new silk road infrastructure facilitating trade between China, Europe and the rest of the world and how Central Asia should commonly deal with these challenges and opportunities.