The meeting focused on cooperation in water resource conservation, climate change adaptation and improving water availability in mountainous areas. One of the practical areas of this cooperation is the introduction of the Ice Stupa artificial glacier technology in Uzbekistan, which is being implemented in the country for the first time.

Climate change, rising temperatures, glacier melt and shifting precipitation patterns are making water resource conservation an increasingly urgent priority for Central Asia, particularly Uzbekistan. According to projections, water availability could decline by 30–40% by 2050, while demand for irrigation water could increase by 25%. Estimates suggest that the water deficit could rise from nearly 3 billion cubic metres in 2015 to 7 billion cubic metres by 2030 and reach 15 billion cubic metres by 2050.

To address this challenge, the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, in cooperation with FAO, has introduced the Ice Stupa artificial glacier technology in Uzbekistan for the first time. The initiative is being implemented by the FAO Representation in Uzbekistan under the Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration Impact Programme (FOLUR), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The technology uses existing water sources during the winter months. Water is channelled through specially designed pipes and sprayed into the air, where it freezes in low temperatures and gradually accumulates as ice. This process results in the formation of a large ice structure. The stored water gradually melts in spring and summer, when demand for water increases, providing an additional source of water.

This innovative solution makes it possible to store water in the form of ice during winter, improve water availability in arid mountainous areas, provide additional water resources for agriculture and local communities and strengthen resilience to the impacts of climate change and drought.

The artificial glacier technology is a nature-based solution that harnesses natural conditions and offers new opportunities for sustainable water resource management.