The State Program for the Study and Preservation of Glaciers for 2010-2030 was developed for the continuous monitoring and study of glaciers in the national territory. Tajikistan has over 8,000 glaciers, covering approximately 8% of the country's total area. These glaciers contain approximately 550 cubic kilometers of fresh water and account for almost half of the national river runoff. Tajikistan is a major center of modern glaciation in Central Asia, and the glaciers within its territory not only store water but also regulate river runoff and climate. Currently, due to global warming, glaciers are degrading: they are melting more than they are forming. Actually, against the backdrop of climate change on land, particularly in arid regions, the issue of providing water to the population and developing economic sectors dependent on freshwater resources is becoming increasingly pressing. The purpose and objectives of the Program are as follows: (a) to study the condition and conservation of glaciers in the national territory for 2010-2030 in order to promptly implement effective measures to reduce the impact of climate change on the people and economy of the country and the region; (b) establishment of the National Center for Glaciology and Hydrometeorology; (c) inventory of large, medium and small glaciers according to the catalogue of glaciers; (d) organization of systematic climate observations and conducting scientific research; (e) development of expeditionary monitoring of representative glaciers in river basins; (f) improvement of the space monitoring and assessment system of snow cover and glaciers; (g) resumption of full-scale snow cover monitoring; (h) application of new modern technologies and advanced experience in the field of glaciology; and (i) modelling the impact of climate change on glaciers during the research period. The strategic objective of the Program is operational glaciological monitoring of the state of glaciers and snowfields in the basins of all rivers of the country, carried out in order to forecast river runoff and prevent the consequences of natural hydrometeorological phenomena. Expected results: (a) provision of reliable and timely information on the state of glaciers in river basins; (b) a modern forecast of water resources concentrated in seasonal snow in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya river basins; (c) creation of a modern National Catalogue of glaciers; (d) glaciological and climatic descriptions of various regions of the country and the state of the environment; and (e) continuous monitoring of glaciers, snow cover, avalanche danger, introduction of new methods of glaciological forecasting, creation and implementation of a system for collecting satellite information and a glacier catalogue, automation of stations and posts, implementation of joint research projects.
Tajikistan · 2010-05-02