PROBLEMS OF THE ARAL SEA

Аннотация

This article highlights the causes of the environmental crisis related to the Aral Sea, its negative consequences, and the measures being taken to mitigate them. Once the fourth largest inland sea in the world, the Aral Sea played a vital role in the climate, agriculture, fishing industry, and livelihoods of the people in Central Asia. However, from the second half of the 20th century, water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers was diverted inefficiently for cotton irrigation through wasteful irrigation systems. This led to the drying up of the Aral Sea and the emergence of a major ecological disaster. A new desert named Aralkum has formed on the former seabed, spreading millions of tons of salty dust annually. This has increased respiratory, cardiovascular, blood, and skin diseases, particularly leukemia and developmental disorders among children. The climate has drastically changed: the air is drier, summers hotter, and winters colder. Shortages of drinking water and poor sanitation have led to the spread of infectious diseases. However, positive measures are being taken to mitigate the problem. Kazakhstan has restored the Small Aral Sea, and in Uzbekistan, saxaul trees are being planted in the Aralkum desert. Effective water resource management, environmental education, improved healthcare services, and international cooperation are proposed as key solutions to stabilize life in the Aral Sea region. Keywords: Aral Sea, environmental crisis, water resources, salinization, climate change, health problems, Aralkum.