Mistreated waters

Four landlocked Central Asian countries are grappling with the climate crisis and the lack of coordination of the water resources they share. Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, upstream of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers, need extra energy in winter. Downstream, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan need water in summer for agriculture. Historically, countries seasonally traded energy from fossil fuels for water released from upstream dams, but since the fall of the USSR and the rise of privatized industries, this system has gone out of balance. Unsustainable water use and the recent severe drought exacerbate the difficulties. Anush Babajanyan is a member of VII photo agency and photographed this story with the support of the National Geographic Society.

Global Winner Long Term Projects Award