This report presents a concise summary of the outcomes from two expeditions held in 2023, which explored 1.5 million hectares of the desiccated bed of the Aral Sea.

The desiccated seabed represents an unstable ecological system that poses a risk to both the environment and public health. The collected data will facilitate an evaluation of the state of the AmuDarya river delta and the dried bed of the Aral Sea through the use of satellite observations and on-site expeditions. This analysis aims to pinpoint alterations in the sea and the Aral Sea region to enhance environmental conditions and optimize water resource management. The information gathered during the expeditions will support effective ecological management of the desiccated seabed, enabling informed decision-making and the implementation of appropriate measures.

The expeditions were carried out by the Scientific Information Center of the Interstate Coordination Water Commission of Central Asia (SIC ICWC) as part of the UNDP Joint programme "Empowering youth towards a brighter future through Green and Innovative Development of the Aral Sea region”, funded by the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea region in Uzbekistan.