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The joint project led by the Ministry of Ecology of Uzbekistan, UNDP, and the Global Environment Facility focuses on the conservation and sustainable management of lakes, wetlands, and riparian corridors in the Lower Amu Darya and Aral Sea basins. Recognizing the region’s ecological importance—particularly as a migratory route for birds—the project aims to enhance ecosystem resilience and support sustainable livelihoods by addressing land degradation, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss.
Targeting degraded landscapes in the Alat and Karakul districts of the Bukhara region, the project promotes integrated land and water management while developing five new protected natural areas covering over 3 million hectares, including “Southern Ustyurt,” “Priarale,” “Central Kyzylkum,” “Sudochye-Akpetki,” and “Borsakelmes.”
The project’s four main pillars include: coordinated water resource management, sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation, and international cooperation and knowledge sharing. A recent seminar in Alat and Karakul brought together government officials, civil society, and media representatives to discuss the project’s objectives and its role in restoring degraded ecosystems, conserving biodiversity, and strengthening environmental governance in Uzbekistan’s arid zones. Through these efforts, the initiative seeks to build a land degradation-neutral and resilient landscape in the Aral Sea region.