Publication Details
Abstract
The Aral Sea has been the site of one of the biggest environmental disasters in history, with enormous water diversion for agricultural irrigation. This has led to loss of biodiversity, desertification, salinisation and has had substantial socio-economic repercussions on local communities. The report reviews ecological restoration works in the Aral Sea region, such as construction of the Kok-Aral Dam, water management projects, afforestation and international cooperation projects. The study evaluates the efficiency of several restoration methods and explores the problems that continue to hinder environmental restoration. The results demonstrate that the North Aral Sea has been somewhat rehabilitated but that serious ecological and policy problems remain in the South Aral Sea. The research indicates that for long-term sustainability in the Aral Sea basin, integrated water resource management and regional collaboration are necessary.