CAWAMNET workshop on the interplay between climate change, water scarcity and migration in Central Asia

29 September 2023

To further advance the state of knowledge on this crucial topic, IAMO organized an academic workshop on 14-15 September 2023 in Halle (Saale). The event marked an important step towards better understanding the climate-water-migration nexus in Central Asia.

The academic workshop, a key component of the DAAD-funded project CAWAMNET (Central Asian Water Conflict and Migration Network), brought together a diverse assembly of 23 participants from the scientific community from Central Asia, Germany, and Europe to engage in fruitful discussions. Over the course of two days, the multidisciplinary cohort delved deep into the pressing issues of climate change, water scarcity, water conflicts, and migration.

The first day focused on setting a stage with a comprehensive overview of empirical evidence while identifying research and action imperatives for fostering a more inclusive scientific dialogue. The workshop featured an overview talk by Alisher Mirzabaev (International Rice Research Institute) and five presentations, which set the stage by addressing the critical role of climate change, water governance, and human migration in the Central Asian region.

The second day started with presenting the research proposals prepared by two early career researchers from Central Asia visiting IAMO within the CAWAMNET project. Following this, the workshop participants worked in two groups to discuss research gaps on topics of smallholder adaptations and climate migration. Discussions explored how migration can be harnessed as an effective adaptation strategy for managing water scarcity and responding to the challenges of climate change in Central Asia.

Through an interactive workshop format, participants took the first decisive step toward weaving together the currently segregated themes into an integrated nexus approach. The project coordinators will consolidate the policy and research insights gathered from this workshop into a joint policy paper and a scientific article.

The workshop agenda and presentations are available here.