The findings of the UN World Water Development Report 2020 “Water and Climate Change” discussed in Kazakhstan

Overall, more than 200 participants representing water and climate-related governmental and non-governmental organizations, research institutions, universities and the private sector in Kazakhstan joined the 2-hour online event.

During the meeting, a panel discussion with national experts, representing the various topics of the report, which are relevant for Kazakhstan, was organised. The experts in their interventions answered to a number of questions, posed by the participants, such as the impact of climate change to glaciers melting and water resources of Kazakhstan; the food security in the context of changing climate and water scarcity, as well as the impact of climate change to the health sector, tackling as well such important aspects as access to clean water and sanitation in the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Participants of the webinar posed about 80 questions in total, in particular, they were interested in specific water supply measures and access to drinking water, modern approaches and examples of the use of alternative energy sources, as well as water-agriculture nexus and specific adaptation measures to climate change in the water sector at local level.

UNESCO Office in Almaty plans to follow-up with a series of events related to the topic of the report. As such, a regional launch of the WWDR 2020 for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and adjacent countries is planned to be organised with the participation of experts from the region. The participants will have an opportunity to discuss the findings of the report and ask questions about the interesting water and climate-related issues in a broader, regional context.

The date of the regional launch will be announced soon.