Is instability the new stability?
Today, we build the largest airplanes, the biggest ships, the fastest cars and the highest buildings; we live in the age of exaggeration, where whatever ‘largest’ they built demonstrate a society’s achievements; ignoring the environmental cost.
As environmental author and journalist Jonathan Watts put it: “Countries gross domestic product values have risen at the expense of gross domestic pollution.” As a result, we have created one of the greatest threats to our existence — climate change.
Recently we have witnessed extreme temperatures in Canada, deadly floods across Europe and China, raging wildfires in the US state of California, Turkey, Greece, Russia, and more. According to scientists, these extreme weather events would not have been possible without climate change.
The 9 August 2021 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change makes it very clear, this is just the beginning. We are entering a new era, where weather-related instabilities are a new stability.
Kyrgyzstan is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change in Central Asia. According to experts, glaciers are shrinking at an unprecedented rate, and if they continue to do so, this will likely lead to water shortages across the region, especially during the summer months.[1]
Locals try to comply with the established rules for water allocation, but during drought and water scarcity years, communities experience an acute shortage of water, which could be a solid reason for potential conflict. The situation is worsened by the uncertainty on parts of borders between Kyrgyzstan and neighbouring states; including the uncertainty of the pathways of canals and water distribution centres. We have to take action before situations like this one in Kyrgyzstan get worse, for the sake of the people on the ground and for our common security.
I am a strong believer in the OSCE’s comprehensive security model. And the OSCE has a long record of supporting its participating States in co-operating and managing water resources.
Though water scarcity can be a potential trigger for conflict, we, at the Programme Office, believe that water can also be a source of co-operation. Joint and efficient management of water resources could lead to improved relations among communities and countries, enhance comprehensive security at large, and help best mitigate the effects of climate change on nature, people and wildlife.
Scientists from Central Asia can work with international scientific and donor communities to study, analyse and resolve water resource issues. Together they can draw up water-glacial forecasts to better prepare communities for the future. This is what we call co-operation.
Today, we are in a race to save the planet. We need to do the utmost to mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt to tomorrow’s realities; this must be on every nation’s agenda, including in Kyrgyzstan. The Programme Office in Bishkek remains a resourceful and committed mission to help Kyrgyzstan prevent and prepare for natural disasters, strengthen community resilience, and shift to a green economy.
Climate change is not only about weather change, it is about changing the way of life for us all. Climate change knows no borders; it is ruthless. We all are responsible for promoting sustainable development. One that reverses extremes and instabilities and nurtures understanding and co-operation between peoples, communities, industries, states. We owe it to the planet, we owe it to ourselves.
[1] Information retrieved on 13 August 2021 from the web portal of the Institute of Water Problems and Hydropower under the National Academy of Science of the Kyrgyz Republic http://iwp.kg/2021/07/05/%d0%bb%d0%b5%d0%b4%d0%bd%d0%b8%d0%ba%d0%b8-%d1%82%d0%b0%d1%8e%d1%82/