Session VI. NEXUS of shared resources’ management in the countries of Central Asia
February 23, 2024
When managing water, energy, food and ecosystem resources in Central Asia, it is necessary to identify and assess their interrelations to improve water, energy and food security, protect ecosystems, taking into account natural and man-made threats for the region. The study of interrelations is a new challenging field of knowledge that requires comprehensive and in-depth training of the experts to conduct such multidisciplinary and large-scale assessments. Resource management at the country level is complicated by division and segmentation of the national governance structures. Management of transboundary resources of the macroregions including two or more countries is even more difficult task due to different economic, political and social interests. This requires an ongoing dialogue between the different sectors within a country and between the countries to find mutual benefits and compromise. Such a dialogue between the sectors and the countries can be based on various international agreements and treaties, such as the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 17 SDGs cover a wide range of topics and issues, thus interrelating the various goals. No goal can be achieved separately, but only together with other goals.
Key sectors such as energy, water, agriculture and ecosystems are vital components in terms of general strategy and planning in the furtherance of SDGs by 2030 It is very important to approach such a large and complex problem literally from a “bird’s eye view” and specialists taking part in such discussions need to go beyond certain stereotypes and limitations that are imposed by a deep immersion in any narrow specialization such as, for example, water problems or energy. We hope that during this discussion between different specialists, drawing on the accumulated knowledge and experiences and lessons learned so far, we will be able to discuss ways and mechanisms of possible interdisciplinary interactions between the water, energy, agricultural and environmental sectors.
The session aims to discuss ways and mechanisms of possible interdisciplinary interactions between the water, energy, agricultural and environmental sectors.
The policy briefs are available here.
Chair :
Dr. Zharas Takenov,
Kazakh - German University, Kazakhstan
PhD of Biological Sciences. In 1986 he completed postgraduate studentship at the Moscow Institute of Developmental Biology of the USSR Academy of Sciences. From 1986 to 1989 he worked as a researcher at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR. In 1989-1993 worked as a teacher at Kazakh State University after Al Farabi at the Faculty of Biology. From 1993 to 1994 he worked as a project specialist for the US Peace Corps in Almaty. From 1994 to 2015, he worked in various senior positions at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). From 1994-2004, Zharas headed the Sustainable Development (SD) and Natural Resource Management (NRM) sector at the UNDP office in Kazakhstan. From 2004 to the end of 2010 in Kyrgyzstan. He also supported SD/RM activities at the regional level to other UNDP Central Asian offices. Provided strategic direction and thought leadership to program and project teams in 5 Central Asian countries. From 2011 to 2015 he worked as a manager of international projects in North Korea. From May 2015 to the present - a freelance consultant, and since September 2020 he has been collaborating with the Kazakh-German University.
Session partners:
Main speakers
Ms. Tamara Kutonova
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Mr. Takayoshi Kato
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Dr. Dinara Ziganshina
Scientific-Information Center Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia (SIC ICWC)
Tamara Kutonova is currently an Environmental Affairs Officer at the UNECE Water Convention Secretariat. Prior to this, Tamara worked as an Environmental/Climate Change Consultant at the Ukranian Business & Trade Association (UBTA), as GEF Dniester Project Regional Coordinator or as a National Project Officer at OSCE. She worked also as a Senior International Consultant (Climate Change in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Ukraine) at FAO, as a Project Manager at IUCN or as a Programme Assistant at Wetlands International. She holds an MSc degree in Environmental Management and Sciences from Central European University in Budapest.
Takayoshi KATO is an Environmental Economist at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). His current work focuses on climate resilience and the water, energy and food nexus in Central Asia. Takayoshi has also led several OECD projects, including on: climate change adaptation and development cooperation as well as green and sustainable finance in the region of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia. Before joining the OECD, Takayoshi worked at the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group in Japan, where he worked with his clients in the private and public sectors on energy efficiency and renewable energy financing.
Dr. Dinara Ziganshina is the Director at the Scientific Information Centre of Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (SIC ICWC) in Central Asia, a regional organisation that contributes to fostering transboundary water cooperation in the region through data, information and knowledge development and dissemination. Dr. Ziganshina is the Vice Chair of the Implementation Committee under the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (The Water Convention); a Governor at the World Water Council and an Associate Professor at the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers. Dr. Ziganshina has more than 20 years’ experience working as a legal and policy expert in water resources management at national and transboundary levels.
Discussants
Ms. Maria Zadneprovskaya
International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in the Republic of Kazakhstan (IFAS Kazakhstan)
Dr. Makhmud Shaumarov
Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
Dr. Maria Stepanova
New Energy Advancement Hub Expert in Central Asia
Zadneprovskaya Maria Andreevna in 2008 completed her studies at KazNTU named after. K.I. Satpayev, majoring in “Hydrogeology, engineering geology and geoecology”, qualified as an engineer. In 2006, she completed her studies at the University of Science and Technology Languedoc Montpellier-2, in Montpellier, France, and received a master's degree in Science and Technology, with a specialization in Biology, Geological Sciences, Agricultural Resources and Environmental Protection. She is a graduate of the Bolashak International Scholarship. From October 2008 to January 2017, she worked at the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. She oversaw issues related to public participation in the decision-making process on environmental issues, the work of the Public Environmental Council, environmental monitoring, science, the implementation of social orders, the OECD project to increase the competitiveness of Kazakhstan, and environmental education. She has been working at the Public Fund “Executive Directorate of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in the Republic of Kazakhstan” since February 2020, and since April 2022 she has been appointed head of the Ecology Department. He is engaged in the implementation of projects for landscaping the drained bottom of the Aral Sea, restoration and development of the Northern Aral Sea, and issues of interaction with public organizations.
Makhmud Shaumarov is currently a Regional Program Coordinator for the FAO-GEF Integrated Natural Resources Management program in Central Asia and Türkiye. Prior to mid-2018, he was working with the World Bank Office in Uzbekistan as a Consultant for Rural Development. Before joining the FAO and the WB, Makhmud worked with the ICARDA Regional Office as a Research Field Coordinator for the Dryland Systems Program in Tajikistan, Karakalpakstan and Uzbekistan, as well as with the UNDP Uzbekistan on supporting projects in sustainable natural resources management. Makhmud received his Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree in Rural Development and natural resources management from Wageningen University in 2008. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics from Tashkent State Agrarian University.
Maria Stepanova, New Energy Advancement Hub Expert in Central Asia. Maria Stepanova is an expert, researcher, trainer and advocate in energy and resource efficiency, energy management, energy transition, sustainable development, best available techniques with 15 years’ experience of policy elaboration on different levels and projects, including TACIS, GIZ, dena, UNIDO, UNDP. Certified energy management auditor (ISO 50001).