From November 20 to November 24, 2021, Dr. Anvar Kodirov, who is a Project Manager of ISTC Project TJ-2409 ‘Hydrochemistry monitoring and risk assessment of mining & uranium tailing in transboundary river watershed of CA countries’, was on a scientific trip to Tashkent to participate in the International Conference on "Transformation of the Aral Sea region into a zone of environmental innovations and technologies".

The goal of the international conference is to transform the Aral Sea region into an environmental innovation and technology zone. The conference focused on reducing the impact of the draught of the Aral Sea on the lifestyle of the people of the Aral Sea region, the natural environment and the conservation of biodiversity.

Participation in the conference was very rewarding. The Project Manager took part in the discussion of all section reports devoted to the problem of hydrology and hydroecology. Before the trip, an information booklet of the project was developed and distributed to the conference participants. A poster presentation was shown in the section of "Transboundary Environmental Cooperation" during the meeting.

The conference was attended by representatives of government departments and international organizations. The conference was opened by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan - Minister of Tourism and Sports Aziz Abdukhakimov.

The event was attended and delivered a welcoming speech by the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Central Asia, head of the delegation of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Natalya Gherman, Assistant Administrator of the UN Development Program, UNDP Regional Director for Europe and the CIS Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, Chairman of the Committee on Ecology and Environment Boriy Alikhanov, President of the Grand Paris Alliance for Sustainable Investments Nicolas Boucher, UNESCO Deputy Director General for Sciences Shamila Nair-Beduel, Minister of Innovative Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov.

The consequences of the Aral Sea crisis negatively affect the lives of millions of people living in the Aral Sea region. In the next 55 years, a new desert called Aralkum appeared on the dry bottom of the Aral Sea on an area of ??5.2 million hectares. The main discussions during this international conference were based on world experience, the introduction of innovations and environmentally friendly technologies in the Aral Sea region, the introduction of energy and water saving technologies, the prevention of desertification and the development of ecotourism. According to the results of the International Conference, in order to expand international cooperation in the Aral Sea region and the formation of the necessary infrastructure for innovative development, great importance will be paid to research and experimental work, the initiative of the UN General Assembly on declaring the Aral Sea region a zone of environmental innovations and technologies will be presented to the world community.

For more information about ISTC Project TJ-2409 ‘Hydrochemistry monitoring and risk assessment of mining & uranium tailing in transboundary river watershed of CA countries’ please see attached booklet.

Booklet