About This Atlas

FOREWORD about tHIS ATLAS Economic development and natural resource management are top priorities for coopera- Maps, graphics and photographs are a rich and effective way of depicting the environment tion between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Republic of Tajikistan. For both and ongoing ecological changes, but such visual presentations can tend to make the environ- countries the adequate knowledge and sharing of information about natural resources and ment seem a bit simpler or more ideal than it may really be. This atlas makes no claim for ei- hazards are important. ther completeness or objectivity: something is always omitted and someone – photographer, cartographer, analyst, writer and editor – always makes a decision about what to include or Afghanistan shares the Aral Sea basin with the other Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, exclude. But while this atlas may be unavoidably subjective in some respects, it strives to be Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. While water and environmental coop- accurate and useful. eration is established among the latter countries, there is limited cooperation with Afghani- stan. The Upper Amu Darya basin is shared by Afghanistan and Tajikistan and efforts of the Ride a donkey on breathtaking mountain trails or take a boat down rapid rivers in the Upper two countries to develop cooperation on hydrology and environment are much welcomed. Amu Darya basin and you will hear the same valley, river or place called by different names. The spelling of geographic names (rivers, lakes, mountains, settlements, places of interest) The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) decided in 2011 to initiate a in this atlas generally follows the internationally accepted and well-known names, and re- project within the framework of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of flects local names in common usage in both countries, based on reviewers’ comments. Central Asia to support the cooperation between Afghanistan and Tajikistan on environment and water issues. The project builds on the principles of the UNECE Convention on Protec- The atlas includes several two-page illustrations, some with maps coupled with graphics, tion and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes and other UNECE diagrams, photographs and text captions to create a compelling and visual presentation of environmental conventions. Funding was kindly made available by the Government of the information, and to provide readers a broader understanding of the priority environmental is- Russian Federation. sues and trends in a geographic context. Maps with photographs are visualized narratives of selected atlas themes, such as land cover, climate change or natural disasters. The UNECE Water Convention is currently the only international legal framework in force governing the management of transboundary water resources. The implementation of the Many maps have shaded-relief backgrounds to provide a sense of terrain. Selected features convention has led to significant improvement in transboundary water management in the (mountain summits and chains, main rivers, cities and villages) are labelled. Rivers, lakes UNECE region, making it the most advanced in this respect worldwide. The Parties amended and wetlands are mainly shown in blue, but sometimes in gray or another colour to fit the the convention in 2003 to open it up to non-ECE countries. It is expected that non-UNECE overall design. Within a map, featured places and issues are illustrated in colour, while adja- countries such as Afghanistan will be able to accede to the convention at the end of 2013. cent areas are shown in little detail. In most cases a vertical header gives the title of the map. Neither Afghanistan nor Tajikistan is a Party, but some of the core principles of the convention are applied in the UNECE project to support bilateral cooperation. The original maps were designed mainly for standard-sized A4 (210 x 297 mm) and A3 (297 x 420 mm) formats, although the digital version of the atlas allows readers to zoom to Zoї Environment Network, a nongovernmental organization based in Switzerland, has con- print the desired size. The scale and size of all maps correspond to the amount or complexity tributed to UNECE water assessments and helped facilitate implementation of UNECE and of the information shown on the maps or the visuals within the maps. Detailed references for United Nations conventions in Central Asia. Based on this work and Zoї’s previous work all maps and other data used in the atlas are provided in the Reference section. Suggestions with Afghanistan, the organization was invited to assist in the facilitation of the Afghan-Tajik or comments regarding the atlas contents and its further evolution and improvements are cooperation process. In the development of this atlas, Zoї’s special talents for presenting welcome. environmental issues visually have been of particular value.

A bilateral meeting was organized in March 2012 in Dushanbe to discuss common priorities and the institutional platform for cooperation. The lack of broadly available information on water and the environment was identified as an impediment. It was decided to develop an atlas with contributions from the two countries to provide an accessible, substantive background for the further development of bilateral cooperation.

With 100 photos and 50 maps and graphics based on official sources and original research, this well-illustrated atlas presents information at the river basin – as opposed to the national – level, and portrays challenges from the regional rather than the country perspective. With the objective of supplementing information already available in each of the countries, the atlas is designed to help local policymakers and experts as well as readers outside the region, donors and the international community understand the basin’s natural resources, common needs and priorities. It starts with brief introductions to the countries, illustrates the Amu Dar- ya River basin as a part of the Aral Sea basin and provides details on the Upper Amu Darya.

Second Assessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and Ground- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Available from: http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/tainc2.pdf p. 73, map at the bottom: water. Available from: http://www.unece.org/?id=26343 2010a: Global Forest Resources Assessment: Afghanistan. Sarez Lake flood risk scenario National Biodiversity and Biosafety Centre and the Governmental Principal source: USGS, 2006: Usoi Dam Wave Overtopping and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), 2012: ______, 2010b: Global Forest Resources Assessment: Workgroup, 2003: Tajikistan’s National Strategy and Action Plan on Flood Routing in the Bartang and Panj Rivers, Tajikistan. J. Ris- Report and the Proceedings of the Regional Meeting on Envi- Tajikistan. Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity (NBSAP) ley, J. Walder, and R. Denlinger, eds., USGS Water Resources ronment and Hydrology Cooperation Between Afghanistan and Investigations Report 03-4004. Additional sources: Sarez disaster: Tajikistan, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, March 27–29, 2012 Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, 2008: Afghani- National Biodiversity and Biosafety Centre and the Governmental geophysical forecast by L. Papyrin (→ sarez-lake.ru/monograph/); stan National Development Strategy. Water Resource Management Workgroup, 2009: Tajikistan’s Fourth National Report on Implemen- ISDR, 2007: Sarez Lake. The latest achievements and unsolved United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Strategy 2007–2012. tation of the Convention on Biological Diversity problems. Data on water level: Tajik hydrometeorological service (UNESCO), 2009: The 3rd United Nations World Water Develop- ment Report: Water in a Changing World. Available from: http:// Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, 2006: National Environ- Shiklomanov A., 1999: World Water Resources and Their Use. A www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/water/ mental Action Plan of the Republic of Tajikistan. joint publication of the State Hydrological Institute of Russia (SHI) p. 74–74, map: wwap/wwdr/wwdr3-2009/downloads-wwdr3/ and UNESCO International Hydrological Programme. Available Extreme weather events and natural ______, 2007a: Concept of transition to sustainable develop- from: http://webworld.unesco.org/water/ihp/db/shiklomanov/ disasters United Nations Environment Programme (UNDP), 2005: Severs- ment of the Republic of Tajikistan. Sources: Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program (→ www. kiy, I., Chervanyov, I., Ponomarenko, Y., Novikova, N.M., Miagkov, seismo.ethz.ch/static/GSHAP); National Geophysical Data S.V., Rautalahti, E. and D. Daler. 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Available from: http://postconflict.unep.ch/publications/afg_soe_E.pdf from: http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=31804 p. 74–74, map: Haslinger, A., 2004: The Challenges of Nature Conservation in the Key environmental concerns United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and National Tajik National Park. Centre for Development and Environment, Uni- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 2003: Afghani- Sources: compilation of information from the State of the Environ- Environmental Protection Agency of the Islamic Republic of Af- versity of Bern. stan Post-Conflict Environmental Assessment. Available from: ment reports of Afghanistan and Tajikistan, minutes and presenta- ghanistan (NEPA), 2009: Afghanistan. National capacity needs http://www.unep.org/pdf/afghanistanpcajanuary2003.pdf tions of environmental meetings and expert interviews self-assessment for global environmental management (NCSA) Immerzeel W., A. Lutz and P. Droogers, 2012: Climate Change and national adaptation programme of action for climate change Impacts on the Upstream Water Resources of the Amu and Syr United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Food and Ag- (NAPA). Final joint report. Available from: http://unfccc.int/resource/ Darya River Basins. Technical report for Asian Development Bank riculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2003: Afghani- docs/napa/afg01.pdf study “Water and Adaptation Interventions in Central and West stan’s Wakhan Corridor. Technical Report. Available from: http:// Main background documents: Asia”. Available from: http://www.futurewater.nl/wp-content/up postconflict.unep.ch/publications/WCR.pdf United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations loads/2012/03/Upstream_Report_FW_web.pdf Asian Development Bank, 2010: Central Asia Atlas of Natural Re- Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Economic Com- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Interstate sources. Available from http://www.adb.org/publications/central- mission for Europe (UNECE), Organization for Security and Co-op- Klein I., U. Gessner, C. Kuenzer, 2012: Regional land cover map- Commission on Sustainable Development (ICSD), 2006: Appraisal asia-atlas-natural-resources eration in Europe (OSCE), Regional Environmental Centre (REC) ping and change detection in Central Asia using MODIS time- Reports on Priority Ecological Problems in Central Asia. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), 2011: Environment series. Applied Geography 35 (2012) 1–16. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and and Security in the Amu Darya River basin. Available at: http://www. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS), 2004: Wa- envsec.org/publications Main Administration on Hydrometeorology and Environmental (UNESCO), 2006: The 2rd United Nations World Water Develop- tershed Atlas of Afghanistan. 1st edition. R. Favre, G. M. Kamal, Monitoring under the Ministry for Nature Protection of the Republic ment Report: Water, a Shared Responsibility. Available from: eds. Available from: http://aizon.org/watershed_atlas.htm University of Central Asia, Zoї Environment Network, Mountain Tajikistan, 2002: Tajikistan’s First National Communication under http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ Partnership, GRID-Arendal, 2012: Sustainable Mountain Develop- the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Available from: water/wwap/wwdr/wwdr2-2006/downloads-wwdr2/ Hoelzle M. and S. Wagner, 2010: Glacier Volume Changes in the ment. From Rio 1992 to 2012 and beyond. Central Asia Mountains. http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/tainc1.pdf Panj and Vakhsh Basins. Application of simple parameterizations G. Hughes, ed. Available from http://msrc.ucentralasia.org/events. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to estimate past and future glacier change in the Panj and Vakhsh asp?Nid=355 Main Administration on Hydrometeorology and Environmental (UNESCO), 2012: The 4th United Nations World Water Develop- river basins. Report for FAO. Available from: http://cashmereforum. Monitoring under the Ministry for Nature Protection of the Repub- ment Report: Managing Water under Uncertainty and Risk. Avail- files.wordpress.com/2010/06/glacier-volume-changes-in-the-panj- USGS, 2010: Streamflow characteristics at streamgages in North- lic Tajikistan, 2003: Tajikistan’s National Action Plan on Climate able from: and-vakhsh-basins.pdf. ern Afghanistan and selected locations. S. Olson and T. Williams- Change Mitigation. B. Makhmadaliev, V. Novikov, A. Kayumov and http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ Sether, eds. USGS Data series report # 529. Available from: http:// U. Karimov, eds. Available from: http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/ water/wwap/wwdr/wwdr4-2012/ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2007: Fourth pubs.usgs.gov/ds/529/ nap/tainap01e.pdf Assessment Report. Available from: http://www.ipcc.ch World Bank, 2009: Adapting to Climate Change in Europe and Nosenko, G., Kotlyakov, V. et al. 2009. Assessment of glacier Central Asia. Available from: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/ National Geographic, 2008: National Geographic Visual Atlas of the changes in mountain regions of the Former Soviet Union using ECAEXT/Resources/258598-1243892418318/ECA_CCA_Full_ World. Additional references: recent satellite data and historical data sets. Proceedings of the Report.pdf International Workshop on the Northern Eurasia High Mountain Tajikistan’s Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR), 2012: Agaltseva, N. 2008. Prospective change of the Central Asian rivers Ecosystems, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, September 8–15, 2009. Zoї Environment Network, 2009: Climate Change in Central Asia: Climate Resiliency for Natural Resources Investments. Final Re- runoff with glaciers feeding under different climate scenarios. In: A Visual Synthesis. V. Novikov, O. Simonett and Ch. Berthiaume, port. Available from: http://www.ppcr.tj Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 10, EGU2008-A-00464. Pamir-Alai Land Management (PALM), 2011: Strategy and Action eds. Plan for Sustainable Land Management in the High Pamir and Safarov N. and V. Novikov, 2003: Tajikistan’s State of the Environ- Breu, Th. and Hurni, H., 2003: The Tajik Pamirs: Challenges of Sus- Pamir-Alai Mountains. Available from: http://www.cde.unibe.ch/ ______, 2012: Biodiversity in Central Asia: A Visual Synthesis. ment Report 2002. On-line version produced by the Laboratory of tainable Development in an Isolated Mountain Region. Centre for userfiles/PALM_SAP_eng_mini.pdf A. Kirby, V. Novikov and O. Simonett, eds. Nature Protection under the Ministry for Nature Protection of the Development and Environment, University of Bern. Republic Tajikistan. Available from: http://enrin.grida.no/htmls/ State Agency on Hydrometeorology under the Committee for ______, 2013: Waste and Chemicals in Central Asia: A Visual tadjik/soe2001/eng/index.htm Centre for Policy and Human Development (CPHD) of the Kabul Environmental Protection. The Government of the Republic of Synthesis. V. Novikov, O. Simonett, A. Kirby, G. Hughes and G. University, 2011: Afghanistan Human Development Report. The Tajikistan, 2008: Tajikistan’s Second National Communication un- Eigenmann, eds. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), 2011: Forgotten Front: Water Security and the Crisis in Sanitation. der the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. International Hydrological Programme (UNESCO IHP): http://www. unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/water/ihp/ Photo credits Online databases and information sources: Cover page: © M. Mergili (www.mergili.at) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Panj River Afghanistan Energy Information Centre: http://www.afghaneic.org/ World Heritage List (UENSCO WHL): http://whc.unesco.org/en/list p. 11: Upper and Lower Amu Darya River © V. Novikov water_mapbook.php p. 12: Dry Aral Sea © O. Shipin United Nations Environment Programme and World Conservation Afghanistan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock: Monitoring Centre (UNEP WCMC). World Protected Areas Visual pp. 16–17: Saukdara Glaciers and Lenin Peak, Tajikistan © M. Mergili (www.mergili.at) http://mail.gov.af/en Database: http://www.protectedplanet.net/#5_44.25_65.25_0 p. 18: Yapshorv and Roshkorv villages, Tajikistan © M. Mergili (www.mergili.at) p. 19: © M. Mergili (www.mergili.at) Afghanistan Ministry of Energy and Water: http://mew.gov.af/en/ United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation: http:// Vashnishar village, Afghanistan www.unwater.org/watercooperation2013.html pp. 20–21: Agricultural scene in the Tajik Pamirs © M. Mergili (www.mergili.at) Amu Darya Basin Network (ADBN): http://amudaryabasin.net pp. 22–23: Local market in Bamyian, Afghanistan © L. Ashley United Nations Millennium Development Goals Indicators: http:// Central Asia Environment and Sustainable Development portal: mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Data.aspx pp. 24–25: Dasht-i-Jum pistachio forests, Tajikistan © V. Novikov http://www.caresd.net pp. 26–27: Drainage patterns, Afghanistan and Tajikistan © V. Novikov United Nations Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform: p. 28: Traditional houses and trails along the Panj River, Afghanistan © V. Novikov Central Asia Water Information portal: http://www.cawater-info.net http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/ p. 29, top: Kunduz River, Afghanistan © V. Novikov Climate Wizard: Interactive web tool developed by The Nature USGS Afghanistan homepage: http://afghanistan.cr.usgs.gov/ p. 29, bottom: Afghan children © V. Novikov Conservancy, The University of Washington and The University of Southern Mississippi http://www.climatewizard.org Water Footprint Network: http://www.waterfootprint.org pp. 30–31: Traditional water use activities, Afghanistan © O. Shipin p. 40, bottom: Local nuts and tulips © N. Safarov Ecological Footprint Network: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/ World Bank (WB) development indicators: http://publications. p. 46, top: Dasht-i-Jum Reserve © V. Novikov index.php/GFN/page/footprint_for_nations/ worldbank.org/WDI/ Federal Institute of Hydrology. Global Runoff Data Centre: http:// p. 46, bottom: Bashai Palangon (Tigrovaya Balka) Reserve © V. Novikov www.bafg.de/cln_031/nn_294112/GRDC/EN/02__Services/022__ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Hydrology and Water p. 47: Pamir and Hindu Kush, Afghanistan and Tajikistan © M. Mergili (www.mergili.at) GIS_20Layers/gislayers__node.html?__nnn=true Resources Programme: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/hwrp/ p. 48, bottom left: © L. Ashley index_en.php Destroyed Buddhas of Bamyan Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Statistics p. 48, bottom right: Ancient fortress in the Pamirs © V. Shakula (AQUASTAT): http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/gis/index2.stm World Wildlife Fund (WWF) ECONET of Central Asia: http://www. p. 63, top: Fedchenko glacier © M. Mergili (www.mergili.at) wwf.ru/about/where_we_work/asia/closed/econet/maps Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Statistics p. 65: Medveji glacier © M. Mergili (www.mergili.at) (FAOSTAT): http://faostat.fao.org Worldwide Hydrogeological Mapping and Assessment Programme p. 83. Children of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Photos by © S. Illarionov and M. Romanyuk (WHYMAP): http://www.whymap.org/whymap/EN/Map_Applicatio Global irrigated areas, dataset of the Goethe University, Frankfurt- ns/map_applications_node_en.html on-the-Main, Germany: http://www.geo.uni-frankfurt.de/ipg/ag/dl/ Credits for photo-maps, please read counter-clockwise: datensaetze/index.html Zoї Environment Network: http://www.zoinet.org pp. 32–33. People and the economy. 1 © M. Mergili, 2 © N. Safarov, 3 © O. Shipin, 4–5 © S. Illarionov, 6–8 © M. Mergili Global Water Systems Project datasets: http://wiki.gwsp.org/joom/ index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=34&Item pp. 36–37. Landscape diversity. 1–2 © V. Novikov, 3 © V. Lukarevsky, 4 © O. Shipin, 5 © V. Novikov, 6 © M. id=63 Mergili, 7–8 © V. Novikov, 9–12 © M. Mergili. pp. 42–43. Flagship and migratory species. 1 © A. Gaude, 2 © V. Ushakov, 3 © V. Lukarevsky, 4 © N. Beshko, 5 GRID-Arendal: http://www.grida.no © V. Lukarevsky, 6 © G. Dushey , 7 © V. Ushakov, 8 © N. Beshko, 9 © B. Wald, 10 © V. Shakula pp. 58–59. Climate change concerns and vulnerability. Nurek reservoir © L. Hislop, Women and children © M. Humanitarian information portal of Afghanistan (OCHA Afghani- Mergili, Locust infestation © N. Safarov, Rural men at work © O. Shipin, Mountain ecosystem © N. Safarov, Road stan): http://afg.humanitarianresponse.info/mapcentre blockage by landslide © V. Novikov, Glacial lake © M. Mergili, Vector-born disease research © N. Safarov Mountain Partnership: http://www.mountainpartnership.org pp. 60–61. Glaciers. 1 © GFZ, 2 © L. Hislop, 3 © V. Novikov, 4–5 © M. Mergili, 6 © V. Novikov pp. 70–71. Groundwater, rivers, lakes and reservoirs. 1–6 © V. Novikov, 7 © M. Mergili, 8 © A. Homidov, 9 © M. NASA Visible Earth: http://visibleearth.nasa.gov Mergili, 10 © V. Novikov

Rivers in Crisis database: http://www.riverthreat.net pp. 76–77. Impacts of natural disasters. 1 (left) © A. Kayumov, 1 (right) © A. Homidov, 2 (top) © A. Homidov, 2 (bottom) © O. Shipin, 3 © N. Safarov, 4 © A. Yablokov, 5–6 © M. Mergili, 7 © A. Homidov Tajikistan Committee for Nature Protection: http://www.hifzitabiat.tj pp. 78–79. Key environmental concerns. Municipal waste © V. Ushakov, Obsolete pesticides dump © V. Novikov, Severe soil erosion in Tajikistan © L. Hislop, Local pollution in Afghanistan © V. Novikov, Deforestation and over- Tajikistan Hydrometeorological Service: http://www.meteo.tj grazing in Afghanistan © O. Shipin, Post-conflict environmental impacts © V. Novikov, Snow leopard © V. Ushakov, Teresken bush © V. Novikov, Glacial water stream © M. Mergili Tajikistan Ministry of Water Resources and Land Reclamation: pp. 80–81. Regional cooperation on hydrometeorology and environmental protection. Afghan-Tajik environ- http://www.mwr.tj/en/ mental meeting in Dushanbe, March 2012 © L. Hislop, Afghan-Tajik delegation in Nagoya, Japan, Convention on Biodiversity © N. Safarov, Hydrological monitoring experience exchange on the Vakhsh River © L. Hislop, Forest Tajikistan National Biodiversity and Biosafety Centre: planting in Afghanistan © S. Illarionov, Hydrological stations on Panj and Vakhsh rivers in Tajikistan © A. Homidov, http://www.biodiv.tj Automatic glacial and meteorological monitoring station at Abramov glacier © GFZ

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