ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 22. Despite progress in restoring the Northern Aral Sea, environmental threats in the Aral Sea basin continue to outpace current mitigation efforts, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, Trend reports.
Tokayev highlighted the need for coordinated and long-term regional solutions amid growing ecological challenges.
“Analysis shows that the rate of environmental threats in the Aral Sea basin is exceeding the scale of the measures being taken. In these conditions, it is necessary to develop coordinated and long-term solutions,” he said.
The president pointed to worsening climate trends in the region, noting that summer temperatures have risen by an average of 2–2.5°C, while precipitation has significantly decreased within a 100-kilometer radius. At the same time, the frequency and scale of dust storms are increasing.
He added that tens of millions of tons of salt, sand, and chemical substances are lifted annually from the Aralkum desert into the atmosphere, affecting ecosystems and human health far beyond the region.
Tokayev also warned about growing pressure on water resources, noting that over 80% of water consumption in the region is used in agriculture, while losses in irrigation systems remain unacceptably high.
At the same time, he noted positive outcomes from joint efforts, particularly in restoring the Northern Aral Sea, where water volume increased from 18.9 to 23.5 cubic kilometers, contributing to improvements in fisheries and the broader socio-economic situation in the region.
“Let us demonstrate our ability to jointly develop strategic solutions of regional and global importance,” Tokayev added.