“Considering both vulnerability to climate change and development priorities, the water sector was identified as one of the adaptation priorities both in National Adaptation Strategy for Climate Change from 2019 and updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) from 2021. UNDP’s project addresses identified gaps and barriers to implementation and is consistent with the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan’s vision for the National Adaptation Plan process. The project is also consistent with Tajikistan’s national development policy framework, and hence will contribute to the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation into national and sectoral development plans. Due to the importance of the National Adaptation Plan process and time sensitivity of the activities, UNDP would like to encourage all stakeholders to take active participation in integrating all necessary adaptation measures into the strategic action plans.” says the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Tajikistan Ms. Elisa Calcaterra.

“As it is known for all, climate change as one of the global challenges negatively impacts the state of glaciers, snow, and water resources. Further decrease and destruction of drinking water sources on the planet can expose people to many human, social and economic disasters. Tajikistan’s water sector remains the most vulnerable to climate change among all Central Asian countries although it has large water resources. Rapid melting of glaciers due to climate change poses a serious threat to the process of providing favorable living conditions for people and protecting water resources in Tajikistan and its neighboring countries. This process has led to an increase in natural disasters and degradation of the water ecosystem with more than 80% of natural events are related to climate change in Tajikistan. The damage caused by natural disasters in the last 10 years is estimated at more than 600 million USD and will increase up to 132.3 million USD by the 2030s. Therefore, the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan needs support to develop and implement climate change action plans in priority development areas as well as key sectoral areas.” highlighted the Head of Analytical and Diagnostic Control Center of CoEP Mr. Saidismon Sudurzoda.

In this regard, UNDP provided significant support to the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan to develop and implement necessary joint measures to adapt to the consequences of climate change in order to aid in the process of solving these national and regional issues.

UNDP’s “Enabling an Effective Adaptation Planning Process (NAP) for Tajikistan” project funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) aims to establish the institutional arrangements and capacities to develop and execute National Adaptation Plans to further an overarching approach to adaptation planning and implementation in Tajikistan. Water sector is among the four-priority development and most vulnerable to climate change areas in Tajikistan that needs to be adapted to the consequences of climate change.