Natural Disaster Risks and Climate Change Discussed at Tashkent Conference

An international scientific conference on assessing natural disaster risks and adapting to climate change opened in Tashkent with a formal ceremony at the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan. The event is titled Systematic analysis for assessing natural disaster risks and adapting to climate change. It takes place at a time when global warming, rising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere and climate change are causing serious ecosystem problems in Central Asia.

Droughts, mudflows, avalanches and water shortages are among the hazards that the conference aims to prevent and assess, with the goal of ensuring regional stability. Organisers also stress the need to strengthen international cooperation to tackle transboundary risks.

Scientists, specialists and representatives of international organisations from Uzbekistan, Russia, Austria, Spain, Germany, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Pakistan are presenting their research. Topics include mathematical modelling, geoinformation systems, early warning systems, soil degradation, desertification and biodiversity. The conference will run until 23 October, and its conclusions are expected to serve as an important foundation for future strategic decisions in the field.