THE ARAL SEA TRAGEDY: A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE BEYOND REGIONAL BOUNDARIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47390/ydif-y2026v2i10/n06Keywords:
Aral Sea, Aralkum, ecological crisis, anthropogenic disaster, desertification, salt-dust storms, climate change, transboundary pollution, sustainable development, international cooperation, Karakalpakstan, UN resolution.Abstract
This article presents a systematic analysis of the historical roots, causes, and ecological, socio-economic, demographic, and geopolitical consequences of the Aral Sea desiccation – one of the largest anthropogenic environmental disasters of the twentieth century. Drawing on recent international research, reports of the UN, UNESCO, UNDP, and the European Geosciences Union (EGU), the study examines the transboundary impact of salt-dust aerosols originating from the Aralkum Desert on Central Asia, Europe, and even the Himalayan glaciers. The article evaluates Uzbekistan's environmental restoration programmes, the UN General Assembly Special Resolution of 18 May 2021, and initiatives within the framework of the "Uzbekistan – 2030" Strategy. The authors substantiate the necessity of recognising the Aral problem as a planetary-scale environmental threat that has long transcended regional boundaries.
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