Sadyr Japarov proposes trust fund to protect Issyk-Kul

President Sadyr Japarov has proposed creating a special trust fund to preserve Issyk-Kul, a large lake in Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is ready to be the first to contribute $10 million from the state budget to the fund.

Speaking at COP17 in Yerevan, Japarov said the situation at the lake is becoming increasingly alarming. He said that over the past 170 years the water level has dropped by almost 14 metres, and that over the last five years Issyk-Kul has lost an average of 7 centimetres of water each year.

Japarov called on international financial institutions and donor countries to join the fund.