Expert workshop "Benefits of regional cooperation on the energy-water-land nexu transformation in Central Asia"

1. WATER-ENERGY-FOOD NEXUS AS A WAY TO STRENGTHENING
THE KEY DIMENSIONS OF NATIONAL SECURITY IN UZBEKISTAN
Vadim Sokolov
Head of Agency of IFAS for the Aral Sea Program in Uzbekistan
Expert Workshop on the benefits of regional cooperation on the energy-water-land nexus transformation in Central Asia
8 June 2021

2. Water is the key to all four nexus linkages of related sectors: water, food, energy and environmental
health.
Water closely connects all these sectors and aims at the economical use of water by them - with the aim of
future sustainable development.
Water security of Uzbekistan is ensured by 15% at the expense of its own water resources and by 85% in
accordance with agreements on the use of transboundary waters.
Threats to water security are increasing due to the growing population and water demand in all countries of
Central Asia, the impact of climate change and pollution.
In addition to these factors, aging water infrastructure and insufficient funding also have a negative impact
on water security.
Therefore, there are expectations that the level of water security will deteriorate in the coming years.
In dry years, water availability is expected to be less 70% (of water requirements).

3. Nexus is a tool building (institutional and technical) relationships and interactions between all economic sectors that
manage or use water. Three main sectors of the country and the region as a whole (water, energy and agriculture)
are interrelated: water is needed to produce energy, while water and energy are necessary for food production.

4. DPSIR*
framework for nexus
analysis
Water Security Energy Security Food Security
Drinking water and sanitation Disaster risk Ecosystems Economy Population Land
Driving
Forces
Institutions
Ministry of Housing and Communal Services
https://www.mjko.uz
Ministry of Emergency Situations
https://www.fvv.uz/ru
Hydrometeorological Service Center
(Uzhydromet)
https://hydromet.uz
State Committee of the
Republic of Uzbekistan on
Ecology and Environmental
Protection
http://www.uznature.uz
Ministry of Water Management
http://www.water.gov.uz
Ministry of Economic Development and Poverty
Reduction https://mineconomy.uz
Ministry of Energy http://minenergy.uz
JSC Uzbekhydroenergo http://uzgidro.uz
Ministry of Agriculture
https://www.agro.uz
Fishery Association of
“Uzbekbaliksanoat”
http://www.uzbekbaliqsanoat.uz
State Committee for Forestry
http://urmon.uz
Policy
Resolution of the President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan No. PP-2910 “On the Program of
Comprehensive Development and Modernization of
Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Systems” of 20
April 2017| https://lex.uz/docs/3174689
Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
No. UP-5883 “On Measures to Improve Water
Resource Management of the Republic of Uzbekistan to
Increase the Level of Provision of the Population with
Drinking Water and Improve its Quality” of 26
November 2019| https://lex.uz/ru/docs/4611203
Resolution of the Cabinet of
Ministers No.299 “On Measures to
Implement the Sendai Framework for
Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030
in the Republic of Uzbekistan” of 12
April 2019|
https://lex.uz/ru/docs/4283785
Decree of the President of the
Republic of Uzbekistan No.
UP-5863 “On Approval of the
Environment Protection
Concept of the Republic of
Uzbekistan until 2030” of 30
October 2019|
https://lex.uz/docs/4574010
Resolution of the Cabinet of
Ministers No. 484 “On
Approval of the Biological
Diversity Conservation
Strategy in the Republic of
Uzbekistan for 2019-2028” of
11 June 2019|
https://lex.uz/docs/4372841
Decree of the President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan No. UP-4947 “On the Strategy of
Actions for Further Development of the
Republic of Uzbekistan” of 7 February 2017 |
https://lex.uz/docs/3107042
Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No.841
“On Measures to Implement National Goals and
Objectives in the Field of Sustainable
Development up to 2030” of 20 October 2018 |
https://lex.uz/ru/docs/4013358
Decree of the President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan No. UP-6024 “On Approval of the
Water Sector Development Concept of the
Republic of Uzbekistan for 2020-2030” of
10.07.2020 | https://lex.uz/ru/docs/4892946
Resolution of the President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan No. PP-4919 “On Measures to
Further Accelerate Introduction of Water-Saving
Technologies in Agriculture” of 11 December
2020 | https://lex.uz/ru/docs/5157170
Concept of electric energy supply in
Uzbekistan for 2020-2030 (April 2020)|
http://minenergy.uz/ru/lists/view/77
Resolution of the President of the Republic
of Uzbekistan No. PP-4477 “On Approval
of the Strategy for Transition of the
Republic of Uzbekistan to Green Economy
in 2019 – 2030” of 04.10.2019 |
https://lex.uz/docs/4539506
Decree of the President of the
Republic of Uzbekistan No. UP-
5303 “On Measures to Ensure
Nation’s Food Security” of 16
January 2018|
https://lex.uz/docs/3506753
Decree of the President of the
Republic of Uzbekistan No. UP-
5853 “On Approval of the
Agriculture Development Strategy
of the Republic of Uzbekistan for
2020-2030” of 23.10.2019|
https://lex.uz/ru/docs/4567337

5. Pressure
Population growth
Urbanization index
Amount of financing for housing and communal
services
Climate change
Quantity (and frequency) of
emergencies
Amount of financing for the
Ministry of Emergency
Situations
Ecosystem water
requirements
Amount of financing for
nature conservation
Sustainable Development Goals 2030
Water requirements of economic sectors
Amount of financing for water sector
Availability of energy resources (structure)
Amount of financing for energy sector
Population growth
Urbanization index
Amount of financing for agriculture
(structure – crop & livestock
production, processing) and fisheries
Land resources (structure -
including agricultural land area,
irrigated area)
Amount of financing for
forestry
Key
indicators
of
state
Access to quality drinking water
Access to sanitation (sewage)
Indicator of morbidity due to poor quality water
“DALY”
Drought indicator
Flood indicator (floods)
Economic damage
Number of territories subjected
to emergency situations
Number of population subjected
to emergency situations
Ecosystem water supply
Water quality
Aquatic ecosystem health
indicators
Amount of return water
Amount of solid waste
Area of ​​protected territories
(including the area of ​​water
conservation zones)
Number of water-related
diseases
Available water resources per capita
Water availability of economic sectors
Number of reservoirs (degree of flow
regulation)
Per capita water use
Access to electricity (availability of energy
resources) for economic sectors
Electricity generation structure (TPP, HPP,
etc.) – indicator of utilization of energy
potential
Population access to electricity (energy
consumption in public utilities)
Food basket (food security)
Share of agriculture in GDP
Land degradation neutrality (soil
bonitet)
Areas of land salinization (by
degree of salinity)
Areas by degree of ground
water level
Irrigated land per capita
Impact
Implementation of the Program on Integrated
Development and Modernization of Drinking Water
Supply and Sanitation Systems
Interaction with other agencies to form a unified
water balance of Uzbekistan
Coverage of the territory with
early warning systems
Strengthening of the Ministry of
Emergency Situations capacities
Interaction with other agencies
on emergency situation issues
Implementation of the
roadmap on the
Environmental Protection
Concept of the Republic of
Uzbekistan until 2030 in
cooperation with other
agencies
Implementation of the roadmap on five
priorities of the Development Strategy of
Uzbekistan with regard to water and energy
in interaction with other agencies involved
Development and implementation of a
mechanism for coordination of all
economic sectors (nexus) at the level of
the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan
in water resource management and use
Implementation of the
agricultural development
strategy in cooperation with
other agencies on related
aspects
DPSIR*
framework for nexus
analysis
Water Security Energy Security Food Security
Drinking water and sanitation Disaster risk Ecosystems Economy Population Land

6. Response
SDG indicators:
Target 6.1. By 2030, achieve universal and equitable
access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
Target 6.2. By 2030, achieve access to adequate and
equitable sanitation and hygiene, paying special attention
to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable
situations.
SDG indicators:
Target 13.3. Improve education,
awareness-raising and human and
institutional capacity on climate
change mitigation, adaptation,
impact reduction and early warning.
Desertification Index
Biodiversity Index
SDG indicators:
Target 6.3. By 2030, improve
water quality by reducing
pollution, eliminating dumping
and minimizing release of
hazardous chemicals and
materials, halving the
proportion of untreated
wastewater and substantially
increasing recycling and safe
reuse globally.
Target 6.6. By 2020, protect and
restore water-related
ecosystems, including
mountains, forests, wetlands,
rivers, aquifers and lakes.
Target 15.1. By 2020, ensure the
conservation, restoration and
sustainable use of terrestrial
and inland freshwater
ecosystems and their services,
in particular forests, wetlands,
mountains and drylands, in line
with obligations under
international agreements.
Economic growth rate
GDP per unit of water used
SDG indicators:
Target 6.5. By 2030, implement integrated water
resources management at all levels, including
through transboundary cooperation as
appropriate.
Target 7.1. By 2030, ensure universal access to
affordable, reliable and modern energy services.
Indicator 7.2.1 Renewable energy share in the
total final energy consumption.
Indicator 7.3.1 Energy intensity measured in terms
of primary energy and GDP.
Target 8.1. Sustain per capita economic growth in
accordance with national circumstances and, in
particular, substantial gross domestic product
growth through 2030
Target 8.3. Promote development-oriented
policies that support productive activities, decent
job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and
innovation, and encourage the formalization and
growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized
enterprises, including through access to financial
services.
Unemployment Index
Hunger Index
SDG indicators:
Indicator 7.1.1 Proportion of population with
access to electricity
Target 2.1. By 2030, end hunger and ensure
access by all people, in particular the poor
and people in vulnerable situations,
including infants, to safe, nutritious and
sufficient food all year round.
SDG indicators:
Target 2.3. By 2030, substantially
increase the agricultural productivity
and incomes of small-scale food
producers.
Target 15.3. By 2030, combat
desertification, restore degraded
land and soil, including land affected
by desertification, drought and
floods, and strive to achieve a land
degradation-neutral world.
DPSIR*
framework for nexus
analysis
Water Security Energy Security Food Security
Drinking water and sanitation Disaster risk Ecosystems Economy Population Land

7. Water security can be improved through reforms
based on IWRM practical implementation
‘IWRM adopters’ are driving forces to implement reforms, they push:
•Incentives, motivation, and stimulus, which are needed to ensure that IWRM is self-sustaining.
•The involvement of stakeholders at all levels and increasing the number of IWRM adopters is crucial in
achieving targets of reform.
Critical mass or 25-30% of IWRM adopters is needed for IWRM process to reach the stage where the
process will be self-sustaining without strong external support and promotion.
•Currently, IWRM is adopted on only 5 percent of the total irrigated area in Central Asia.
•Another 20-25% of IWRM adopters is needed
WEF NEXUS role is to help create this critical mass, with proper competence!

8. Scope and scale of IWRM competence in Central Asia
(past interventions)
8
Project
Levels of Water Management Hierarchy
Trans-boundary National
Sectors
Canal
management
Other water
users
Irrigation WS&S Hydropower Nature
National IWRM
plan in Kazakhstan
Yes Yes Yes Yes none Yes none Yes
IWRM in Zerafshan
Basin
none Yes Yes Yes none Yes none Yes
IWRM in Fergana
Valley
partially Yes Yes none none Yes Yes Yes
RESP 2 Uzbekistan none Yes Yes none none none partially Yes
WAREMASP
Uzbekistan
none Yes Yes none none none none Yes

9. Often IWRM concept is used as a ‘slogan’ –
without clear understanding of what it is in practice
9
Our understanding of IWRM: it is a process, including dynamically developed governance system at different levels of water
management hierarchy, that facilitates efficient and equitable water resources management (protection, delivery and use) through
application of advanced tools
Integrated Water Resources Management
Water Governance System Water Management Process
Strategy / planning Law
Water supply
hydrographic boundaries
Water demand
administrative boundaries
Institutions Finance
basin, sub-basin, system,
WUAs, end users
transboundary, national, province, district, WUAs, end users
Stakeholders’ participation Ethics
Operational planning, water delivery, water
accounting, O&M, infrastructure, water related
disaster mitigation
Setting water use rates, metering, extension services, climate
related information, modern irrigation practices, environmental
needs
Tools + Capacity and Human Resources Development
But, again we did not focus paper to technical details…

10. Main focus of capacity building should be addressed to minimizing the negative impact of destabilizing
forces on IWRM implementation
10

11. Transboundary dimension: Is it possible to create a positive nexus among water, food, energy and
environmental security?
11
• Competing interests for water at transboundary level, especially when different sectors involved, have great
potential to transform the issue into cross-national confrontation, where political and corporative ambitions dominate
over common sense of sustainable balance.
• The positive nexus in Central Asia can be achieved, if river flow is regulated for the benefits of the public and
environmental interests rather than purely commercial interests of some sectors.
• Flow regulation along transboundary rivers should be agreed by main stakeholders at sectoral and national levels.
Examples of USA-Canada and Rhine Commission: water releases along rivers performed not upon decisions of
infrastructure owners but by water authorities upon policy agreement with all riparians.
Hence, the only way forward is to search for a consensus with a spirit of good will for cooperation on the basic
principles of IWRM.

12. Thank you for attention!
We are looking for productive cooperation
«Viam supervadet vadens cunctim»
Walk together and you shall reach
Agency of IFAS is located at:
15, Sh.Rustaveli, Tashkent city, 100070
Tel. (+99871) 255 39 34 Fax: (+99871) 255 02 49
E-mail : info@aral.uz ; vadim_sokol@mail.ru