{"id":521215,"date":"2010-04-08T23:42:32","date_gmt":"2010-04-09T03:42:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.circleofblue.org\/waternews\/?p=14123"},"modified":"2010-04-08T23:42:32","modified_gmt":"2010-04-09T03:42:32","slug":"qa-yusup-kamalov-fighting-for-the-aral-sea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/521215","title":{"rendered":"Q&A: Yusup Kamalov, Fighting for the Aral Sea"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the Aral Sea gains global recognition as the most extreme kind of environmental disaster, Yusup Kamalov shares an expert’s perspective. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

J. Carl Ganter: <\/strong>Welcome to Circle of Blue Radio\u2019s Series 5 in 15, where we\u2019re asking global thought leaders 5 questions in 15 minutes, more or less.\u00a0 These are experts working in journalism, science, communication design, and water.\u00a0 I\u2019m J. Carl Ganter.\u00a0 Today\u2019s program is underwritten by Traverse Internet Law<\/a>, tech savvy lawyers, representing internet and technology companies.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/em><\/div>\n
Play “Yusup Kamalov, Fighting for the Aral Sea”<\/a> <\/em><\/div>\n
powered by Vertio.net<\/a><\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/em><\/div>\n

The Aral Sea, nestled in southeast Asia, between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was once the world\u2019s fourth-largest freshwater lake. But in the last 30 years, massive irrigation projects diverted millions of gallons of water from the two major rivers feeding the Aral Sea.\u00a0 This was diverted for cotton fields and rice paddies.\u00a0 By the early 1980\u2019s, the Aral\u2019s fresh water supply was completely cut off.<\/p>\n

The lake began to shrink drastically.\u00a0 Salt and mineral concentrations rose, and the destruction of the Aral decimated the fishing industry and actually changed the region\u2019s climate, shortening the growing season.\u00a0 High winds also pick up dust from the exposed lakebed now, hurting air quality and reducing crop yields.\u00a0 Many believe that the Sea is beyond salvation.<\/p>\n

In Nairobi, at World Water Day<\/a> recently, Circle of Blue Reporter Brett Walton spoke with Yusup Kamalov.\u00a0 He is chairman of the Union for the Defense of the Aral Sea and Amudarya, one of the longest rivers in central Asia.\u00a0 It also feeds the Aral.<\/em><\/p>\n

First question, there\u2019s a dam built between the northern and southern sections of the Aral Sea.\u00a0 How effective has that been in restoring parts of the Sea?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course, this dam is very effective to restore the really small, northern part of the Aral Sea, which was actually called the small sea before.\u00a0 Of course it\u2019s very effective, but unfortunately it has an impact on the rest of the sea because the rest of the sea, without this water, dissipates much more quickly than before. We are losing a big part of the sea in a very short time.<\/p>\n

\n
YUSUP KAMALOV:<\/strong><\/div>\n
\"Yusup<\/div>\n
Yusup Kamalov is chairman of the Union for the Defense of the Aral Sea and Amudarya.<\/div>\n
Photo Copyright Brett Walton<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

What are the health affects in the areas surrounding the sea from the sea\u2019s shrinking?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think that the shrinking of the sea has a really big impact on the health of the population. But the polluted water, which comes in by Syr Darya and Amu Darya, has a really big impact on the population.\u00a0 We do also lack quality water, clean water, and we are drinking this water.\u00a0 We are irrigating with this polluted water, so it does influence our health.\u00a0 If you come there, you will see a lot of problem with health in general, I mean ability of people to defend themselves from diseases.\u00a0 Indicators of hemoglobin in blood is very low, especially of women. There are very high levels of diseases connected to the liver and connected to salt content in people’s bodies.<\/p>\n

In the 1960\u2019s when the Aral Sea was still intact, Vozrozhdeniye Island, Rebirth Island in English, was where the Soviet military was conducting biological weapons testing.\u00a0 When the Sea started to shrink, that island became part of the mainland.\u00a0 What is the status of that Island now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, we are not informed about the status of the Island.\u00a0 We know that it\u2019s already connected to the south part of our land, but I have no idea now about [the latest status].<\/p>\n

The two rivers that feed the Aral Sea mainly are used for irrigation.\u00a0 Do you see any change in the farming practices of any of the countries along these rivers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

No.\u00a0 Unfortunately, there are only a few examples, so-called pilot projects, like deep irrigation in just a few farms, and in general, there are no changes.\u00a0 In general, there is no big movement to save a drop of water.\u00a0 There is a good example in Ferghana Valley of evolving, integrated water management, but it\u2019s a local example.\u00a0 It\u2019s the United States, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.<\/p>\n

This pilot project has shown that it\u2019s quite effective, almost without any money, to have a well-scheduled water providing system.\u00a0 They saved 30 percent of the water.\u00a0 They installed some measuring instruments along the canals.\u00a0 It helped a lot.\u00a0 That means that if the governments will pay more attention to involve new technologies, especially new economic tools to save the water, then we will have success.<\/p>\n

What economic tools are governments using?<\/strong><\/p>\n

For example, Tajikistan implemented payment for water.\u00a0 Kyrgyzstan too, and some part of Kazakhstan also.\u00a0 Still Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, they\u2019re not doing anything involving water pricing, etc., because they say it could lead us to an unpredictable situation.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of problems in the basin between the upstream mountainous countries and the downstream countries that use water for agriculture.\u00a0 A big part of this problem is dams.\u00a0 Recently the World Bank said it would finance a feasibility study to see if dams are appropriate for the area.\u00a0 How do you see this changing the politics in the basin?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course, downstream countries are afraid of the building of such a big dam. It could be used as a political tool to push downstream countries to make certain decision.\u00a0 That is why downstream countries are raising their voices against such dams.\u00a0 If this instrument would be available for mountain countries, then, of course, the situation would be a little bit dangerous for downstream countries.<\/p>\n

For example, Tajikistan can push downstream countries to make what they want because they can save a lot of water in water storage. But they\u2019re not [storing water], so that means that Tajikistan doesn\u2019t have [the leverage] to confront downstream countries.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think that it would be a real big problem.<\/p>\n

You live in Nukus, which is a city near the Aral Sea, the former border of the Aral Sea.\u00a0 How has the shrinking of the Sea changed in your life?\u00a0 What changes have you seen in the region?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are a lot of changes, of course, in the region.\u00a0 There are no more big fishing companies or fishermen, and we are observing a lot of sandstorms.\u00a0 The scientists say that after 1960\u2019s, there have been 25 times more sandstorms than before.\u00a0 Of course, the wind became much stronger. I never saw that roofs could be just taken off until the 1990\u2019s, but now it\u2019s just a common picture.\u00a0 Every year we are losing several roofs in Nukus city, every year.<\/p>\n

That means that the wind picks up dust and salty dust, and it\u2019s flowing or rising to high levels of the atmosphere. I\u2019m pretty sure that it has an impact on the global climate because the surface of the former bottom of the Aral Sea is so big. You can\u2019t imagine how much dust is picked up by the wind every year, about 100,000,000 tons, which is the same as the activity of several volcanoes.\u00a0 When volcanoes are working, and then the climate is changing.\u00a0 Now nobody pays attention for this as such a big source of the dust.\u00a0 I think it should be investigated in the near future.<\/p>\n

Where do you see the future of the Aral Sea?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a very painful question, because what does the future mean for a dead body?\u00a0 Nevertheless, I hope that we will have enough water to keep the Aral Sea a certain size.\u00a0 Maybe it could be three lakes, or maybe even one, but nevertheless we should save the Aral Sea. Because, as I mentioned before, the former bottom of the Aral Sea has a big impact on the global climate.\u00a0 And secondly, the Aral Sea was really the source of economic prosperity for the people living around it.<\/p>\n

We should negotiate globally about it.\u00a0 If we are not able to save such a small lake, how can we save the planet? It would be a good example for people that we can do it, even on a small scale.\u00a0 If are we not able to do it, then everybody might doubt we can save our planet.\u00a0 This is why we have to save the Sea.<\/p>\n

That was Circle of Blue\u2019s reporter Brett Walton, in Nairobi, speaking with Yusup Kalamov, chairman of Union for the Defense of the Aral Sea and Amudarya.\u00a0 To find more articles and broadcasts on water design, policy and related issues, be sure to tune in to Circle of Blue online at CircleofBlue.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Our theme is composed by Nadev Kahn, and Circle of Blue Radio is underwritten by Traverse Legal, PLC, internet attorneys specializing in trademark infringement litigation<\/a>, copyright infringement litigation<\/a>, patent litigation and patent prosecution<\/a>.\u00a0 Join us again for Circle of Blue Radio\u2019s 5 in 15.\u00a0 I\u2019m J. Carl Ganter.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the Aral Sea gains global recognition as the most extreme kind of environmental disaster, Yusup Kamalov shares an expert’s perspective. J. Carl Ganter: Welcome to Circle of Blue Radio\u2019s Series 5 in 15, where we\u2019re asking global thought leaders 5 questions in 15 minutes, more or less.\u00a0 These are experts working in journalism, science, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5510,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-521215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5510"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=521215"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521215\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=521215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=521215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=521215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}