Implementing the UN Millenium Development Goals in Central Asia and the South Caucasus: Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability Conserving Ecosystems of Inland Water Bodies in Central Asia and the South Caucasus This report was prepared with financial and technical support from GWP CACENA, the Government of Finland, EC, and IUCN Almaty - Tashkent, 2006 1 Conserving Ecosystems of Inland Water Bodies in Central Asia and the South Caucasus (Part 1 – English) Editorial panel: B.K. Yessekin, M.J. Burlibaev, V.P. Bogachev, E.A. Kreuzberg, and V.V. Sadomsky, V.I. Sokolov Authors of the National Reports: Azerbaijan: M. Asadov and M. Adigezalova Armenia: E. Pirumyan Georgia: T. Cholokava, M. Makarova, and G. Dzamukashvili Kazakhstan: K. Duskaev Kyrgyzstan: A. Jaloobaev Tajikistan: Ya. Pulatov. Turkmenistan: P. Esenov and U. Saparov Uzbekistan: N. Gorelkin, E. Kurbanbaev, and A. Kreuzberg. Translation into English: N.I. Goroshkov © The Central Asian Regional Ecological Center. Almaty, 2006 © Global Water Partnership for Central Asia and Coucasus. Tashkent, 2006 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS (English Part) INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................8 PART I. THE REGIONAL ANALYSIS ....................................................................................8 1.1. General Information on Sub-Region............................................................................8 1.2. The Current Status of Aquatic and Water-Related Ecosystems in the Subregion.......................................................................................................................................9 1.3. Interaction of Aquatic Ecosystems and Society.................................................................13 1.4 Developing Efficient Strategies and Mechanisms for Ecosystems Management.............14 1.5 Measures for the preservation of aquatic ecosystems ..................................................16 PART II NATIONAL REPORTS..........................................................................................22 CHAPTER 1 THE PRESERVATION OF ECOSYSTEMS AND RESOURCES OF INLAND WATER BODIES IN COUNTRIES OF THE SOUTH CAUCASUS ...................22 1.1. Analysis of the Status of Aquatic Ecosystems in the Republic of Azerbaijan ..........22 1.1.1 Aquatic and Water-Related Ecosystems ..............................................................22 1.1.2 Meeting Water Requirements of Aquatic Ecosystems ............................................23 1.1.3 Available Mechanisms for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems ..........................24 1.1.4 Measures for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems ...........................................25 1.1.5 Basic conclusions and recommendations.............................................................25 1.2 Analysis of the Status of Aquatic Ecosystems in the Republic of Armenia ...........26 1.2.1 Aquatic and Water-Related Ecosystems ..............................................................26 1.2.2 Meeting Water Requirements of Aquatic Ecosystems ............................................27 1.2.3 Available Mechanisms for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems ..........................28 1.2.4 Measures for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems ...........................................29 1.2.5 Basic conclusions and recommendations.............................................................29 1.3 Analysis of the Status of Aquatic Ecosystems in the Republic of Georgia.................30 1.3.1 Aquatic and Water-Related Ecosystems ..............................................................30 1.3.2 Meeting the Water Requirements of Aquatic Ecosystems .......................................31 1.3.5 Available Mechanisms for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems ..........................31 1.3.3 Measures for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems ...........................................31 1.3.4 Basic Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................32 CHAPTER 2 THE PRESERVATION OF ECOSYSTEMS AND RESOURCES OF INLAND WATER BODIES IN COUNTRIES OF CENTRAL ASIA ...................................33 2.1. Analysis of the Status of Aquatic Ecosystems in the Republic of Kazakhstan .........33 2.1.1 Aquatic and Water-Related Ecosystems ..............................................................33 2.1.2 Meeting Water Requirements of Aquatic Ecosystems ............................................36 2.1.3 Available Mechanisms for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems ..........................37 2.1.4 Measures for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems ...........................................37 2.1.5 Basic conclusions and recommendation ..............................................................40 2.2 Analysis of the Status of Aquatic Ecosystems in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan...........41 2.2.1 Aquatic and Water-Related Ecosystems ..............................................................41 2.2.2 Meeting Water Requirement of Aquatic Ecosystems..............................................41 2.2.3 Available Mechanisms for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems ..........................42 2.2.4 Measures for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems ...........................................43 2.2.5 Basic conclusions and recommendations.............................................................44 2.3 Analysis of the Status of Aquatic Ecosystems in the Republic of Tajikistan .............45 2.3.1 Aquatic and Water-Related Ecosystems ..............................................................45 3 2.3.2 Meeting Water Requirements of Aquatic Ecosystems ............................................46 2.3.3 Available Mechanism for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems............................46 2.3.4 Measures for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems ...........................................47 2.3.5 Basic Conclusions and Recommendations............................................................47 2.4 Analysis of the Status of Aquatic Ecosystems in the Republic of Turkmenistan ......48 2.4.1 Aquatic and Water-Related Ecosystems ..............................................................48 2.4.2 Meeting the Water Requirements of Aquatic Ecosystems .......................................50 2.4.3 Available mechanisms for the preservation of aquatic ecosystems ..........................50 2.4.4 Measures for the preservation of aquatic ecosystems ...........................................51 2.4.5 Basic conclusions and recommendations.............................................................53 2.5 Analysis of the Status of Aquatic Ecosystems in the Republic of Uzbekistan ...........54 2.5.1 Aquatic and Water-Related Ecosystems ..............................................................54 2.5.2 Available Mechanisms for Maintaining Ecological Flow ...........................................56 2.5.3 Measures for the Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems ..........................................57 2.5.4 Basic conclusions and recommendations.............................................................57 CHAPTER 3 GENERAL CONCLUSIONS AND PROBLEMS ............................................58 CHAPTER 4 RECOMMENDATIONS ...............................................................................60 Definitions .....................................................................................................................................62 References .....................................................................................................................................64 4 Acronyms and Abbreviations ADB – Asian Development Bank SPC – the Scientific and Production Center AOS – Academy of Sciences NAAR – the National Agency for Agricultural Research Bonn Convention - the Convention on Migratory Species НСУР – the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Wild Animals (CMS) OSCE – the Organization for Security and Cooperation in ASB – the Aral Sea Basin; Europe WB – the World Bank (the International Bank for EIA – Environment Impact Assessment Reconstruction and Development) UN– the United Nations GDP – Gross Domestic Product EP – environment protection WSSD – the World Summit on Sustainable Development PA - a protected area («Rio+10») CACO – the Central Asian Co-operation Organization IHE – Institution of Higher Education MEA – the Millennium Ecosystems Assessment Glavvodkhoz – the Central Water Directorate of the MAWR ASBP – the Aral Sea Basin Program SSIAM – the State Specialized Inspection for Analytical GG – greenhouse gases Monitoring APEP – Action Program for Environment Protection GEF – the Global Environmental Facility окружающей среды Agenda 21 – Agenda for the 21st EBRD – the European Bank for Reconstruction and century Development PEBLDS – the Pan-European Biological and Landscape EC – the European Commission Diversity Strategy UNECE – the UN Economic Commission for Europe UNDP – the United Nations Development Program IDB – the Islam Development Bank Ramsar Convention – the Convention on Wetlands of EC IFAS – the Executive Committee of the International International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat Fund for the Aral Sea UNFCCC – UN Framework Convention on Climate Change IWRM – Integrated Water Resources Management RAPEP – Regional Action Plan for Environment Protection RFZ – a Runoff Forming Zone RoK – the Republic of Kazakhstan IRCZ – an Intensive Runoff Consumption Zone RoU – the Republic of Uzbekistan