High-Level Session “Cooperation in Early Warning and Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia”

In Central Asia, against the backdrop of glacier retreat, the number of glacial lakes is increasing, leading to a higher risk of their outburst. Such events pose a threat to populations, infrastructure, and economic activities both in mountainous areas and in downstream river valleys. Under these conditions, early warning systems and community-level risk reduction measures become particularly important.

These issues were the focus of the session of the Regional Ecological Summit 2026: “Cooperation in Early Warning and Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia,” organized by the UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty within the framework of the project “Reducing the Vulnerability of Populations in the Central Asian Region to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in the Context of Climate Change” (GLOFCA), in cooperation with the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The objective of the event was to facilitate the exchange of practical experience and effective approaches in disaster risk reduction among countries of the region, as well as to strengthen the institutional sustainability of achieved results through enhanced national ownership and coordination.

During the session, practical results of the GLOFCA project were presented, including the implementation of early warning systems in pilot areas, monitoring of glacial lakes, and community-level risk reduction measures.

“We are aware of our shared challenges in Central Asia, and we are also paying close attention to moraine lakes in mountainous areas and the threats they pose. We believe that the memorandum signed today with UNESCO will lead to positive outcomes in our joint work,” said Vice Minister for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yerbolat Sadyrbayev, in his remarks.

An official handover of equipment to national authorities also took place, including components of monitoring and early warning systems, which will ensure their continued operation and sustainability.