Category: <span>Central Asia</span>

Pitfalls of the Rogun Hydro: What fate awaits the people resettled from the inundation zone?

The Rogun HPP construction project in Tajikistan, in its current form, involves the forced resettlement of up to 60,000 local residents from the inundation zone. These people must leave their homes and their land to start a new life from scratch. Proponents of the project insist that this is the …

Rogun Hydro construction costs for the optimists and pessimists

According to the press service of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, for construction of the Rogun Dam 4.3 billion somoni ($451 million) have been allocated from the state budget since the beginning of 2025. Based on newly available data, the RwB reevaluated the estimated construction costs and future …

The “Western Tien-Shan” has been temporarily saved from dams and mines

July 20, 2025 Thanks to the efforts of conservation community, it was possible, at least, to postpone the destruction of the unique UNESCO World Heritage Site “Western Tien-Shan”. During the intense discussion at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, a compromise decision was adopted, which, nevertheless, …

World Bank’s financing role in the Rogun Hydropower Plant facing scrutiny

Eurasianet. Apr 11, 2025 An aerial view of construction works at Rogun. (Photo: president.tj) The World Bank is under fire over allegations of impropriety in financing the Rogun Dam project in Tajikistan. Specifically, bank officials are facing accusations that they failed to comply with procedures to account for potential environmental …

Mapping of the freshwater biodiversity of Central Asia will help to preserve it from destruction

Central Asian rivers are home to dozens of endemic and threatened fish species, most of which are not well studied. According to the International Union for Conservation for Nature (IUCN) Red List, 21 fish species in the region are critically endangered (CR), endangered (EN), or vulnerable (VU).  Several vertebrate species …

How to interact with development banks lending to hydropower projects?

Bankwatch and Rivers without Boundaries have produced a Toolkit aimed primarily at civil society organizations working to challenge the construction of dams and other unsustainable water infrastructure. It focuses on Central Asia, a region where numerous highly problematic dam projects are still planned. As the region lacks an established culture …