Climate change to make water security more important for Kazakhstan in nearest years - American expert

WASHINGTON. KAZINFORM The State-of-the-Nation Address of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev «Economic Course of a Just Kazakhstan» was closely watched by American expert communities, who gave a positive assessment of the new initiatives, Kazinform correspondent reports.

President of Washington-based consulting company Second Floor Strategies, geopolitical analyst Wilder Alejandro Sanchez says that the decision of the Kazakh authorities to set up the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is a good idea, which should have taken place many years ago.

The expert notes that climate change consequences are becoming more obvious and destructive, and governments should have strategies to protect their natural resources and the environment.

«Future environmental strategies should include specialized agencies and ministries focusing on specific resources. Water is an obvious resource that needs to be protected,» Alejandro Wilder says.

Earlier this year, Alejandro Wilder published an essay titled as «Kazakhstan's Green Strategy: Keeping Steppe Green» for the SAIS Review of International Affairs magazine. In the research, the American expert paid attention to the environmental problems and priorities of Kazakhstan, including the protection of the country's main water bodies: Lake Balkhash, the Ural River and the Caspian Sea.

«This new Ministry of Water Resources will have to focus on the protection of these water bodies, including the fight against water pollution,» he notes.

«Climate change will make water security more important for Kazakhstan in the nearest years. The country is facing droughts, but climate change is making them even more devastating, such as the dry spell of 2021. Droughts, water pollution and population growth are all reasons why Astana should develop short- and long-term strategies, as well as policies in the field of water supply, so that water scarcity does not turn into a national crisis in the coming years. A specialized institution such as the Ministry of Water Resources is an excellent first step towards protecting water resources of Kazakhstan,» he stressed.

The expert expressed hope that the policy and initiatives of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which will develop this ministry in the future, will be useful for the country and its population.