UNCCD COP 17 – Nature-Based Solutions for Water Security in Central Asia: From Rangeland Stewardship to Artificial Glaciers

UNCCD COP 17
Nature-Based Solutions for Water Security in Central Asia: From Rangeland Stewardship to Artificial Glaciers
25 August2 | 18:00-19:30 | MET-30

Background

Central Asia faces a converging crisis of water scarcity, land degradation, and climate change. The region is warming at twice the global average rate, glaciers are retreating, and per capita water availability has declined more than threefold over four decades. Rangelands—covering 65-80 per cent of national territories—are the region’s natural water infrastructure, capturing precipitation, recharging groundwater, and regulating river flows. Yet they are degraded by overgrazing near settlements and underuse of remote areas, with up to 83 per cent of pasturelands in some countries experiencing desertification.

The response, however, is not limited to traditional approaches. Across Central Asia, a diverse portfolio of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) is emerging—from community-based rangeland management and pastoralist-led stewardship to innovative technologies such as artificial glaciers that store water in frozen form during winter for gradual release in dry seasons. These solutions share a common principle: working with nature rather than against it to restore land, secure water, and build climate resilience.

Objectives

This session aims to:

• Showcase a broad spectrum of NbS for water security in Central Asia, including sustainable rangeland management, pastoralism, restoration initiatives, and innovative water storage technologies.
• Demonstrate the water security benefits of rangeland restoration, including enhanced infiltration, groundwater recharge, erosion control, and flow regulation.
• Highlight innovation technology as a low-cost, community-led efforts addressing seasonal water scarcity in mountain regions.
• Showcase regional successes, share local experiences, and learn from global initiatives.
• Catalyse regional cooperation on NbS investments, including transboundary benefit-sharing mechanisms and alignment with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) 2026.