About
Project Overview
The “Reducing vulnerabilities of populations in Central Asia from glacier lake outburst floods in a changing climate” (GLOFCA) project, launched in April 2021, is a UNESCO initiative funded by the Adaptation Fund.
The project aims to mitigate GLOF risks by assessing vulnerabilities, mapping glacier lakes, increasing local awareness, and implementing Early Warning Systems (EWS) in pilot communities across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Coverage
Spanning nearly 350,000 km², GLOFCA focuses on GLOF-prone areas where EWS and mitigation measures are being deployed. This regional approach fosters resilience to climate change through shared knowledge and best practices in disaster risk reduction.
Pilot sites include:
- Kazakhstan: Esik and Talgar
- Uzbekistan: Pskem and Tepar
- Kyrgyzstan: Ala-Archa Valley and Lake Tosor
- Tajikistan: Selected GLOF-prone communities
Objectives and Approach
GLOFCA strengthens climate change adaptation in Central Asia by reducing risks and vulnerabilities associated with GLOFs. Key objectives include:
- Assessing vulnerabilities and risks
- Strengthening monitoring and response capacities
- Establishing early warning systems
- Raising awareness among decision-makers and communities
Through scientific research, risk assessments, and capacity-building initiatives, the project equips local authorities and communities to respond effectively to GLOF threats. GLOFCA’s efforts enhance regional preparedness, safeguarding lives and livelihoods.
Context
Central Asia is one of the regions most sensitive to climate change, with limited adaptive capacity posing significant threats to socio-economically disadvantaged groups, indigenous communities, and ethnic minorities. These groups are particularly vulnerable due to low resilience and coping capacities.
Glacial melting and the formation of glacial lakes are among the most critical effects of global warming in the region. Glacier loss is estimated at 0.2–1% per year by volume, leading to the formation of glacier lakes and an increased risk of Glacier Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs). Studies predict that future climate change could result in glacier mass losses of 31–66% in the Tien Shan range alone.
Nearly 100,000 people in mountainous areas face GLOF threats, with many more downstream at risk. These vulnerabilities are compounded by the popularity of mountain tourism, which increases exposure. GLOFs have already caused significant economic damage and loss of life, including the 1998 GLOF in Uzbekistan and the 2002 GLOF in Tajikistan. As a transboundary hazard, GLOFs affect multiple countries in Central Asia, highlighting the urgent need for regional cooperation.
DRR and Adaptation in Central Asia
Disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) are gaining momentum in Central Asia. However, challenges persist, including:
- Limited focus on prevention and preparedness
- Weak policy coordination
- Insufficient monitoring and risk analysis
- Gaps in early warning systems and public awareness
GLOFCA addresses these barriers, supporting the region’s shift toward proactive DRR and climate resilience.
Our Mission
Through a combination of scientific research, technological innovation, and stakeholder collaboration, GLOFCA Project aims to enhance the resilience of vulnerable communities against the impacts of climate change. This knowledge management platform is aimed to foster better networking and information exchange among stakeholders and facilitate discussions about GLOFs, DRR, and EWS.
Our Goals
The objective is to strengthen adaptation to climate change in Central Asia by reducing societal risks and vulnerabilities associated with GLOFs. The project objective will be achieved by assessing societal risks and vulnerabilities associated with GLOFs and then addressing these risks and vulnerabilities. The approach will strengthen the monitoring, analytical and response capacities of institutions and government officials responsible for DRR, emergencies and CCA through community and gender-sensitive ground-level training and awareness campaigns, and through the establishment of early warning systems (EWS), supported with the necessary state-of-the-art monitoring strategies. The emerging and increasing risk associated with GLOFs, together with appropriate response and adaptation strategies will be brought to the forefront of attention for decision makers and communities in all of the participating countries.
Our Vision
We strive to be the leading platform for knowledge exchange and information about GLOFs, DRR, EWS in Central Asia and worldwide. Through the creation, storage, and processing of knowledge and information, we aim to facilitate understanding, collaboration, and informed decision-making in the field of GLOFs and climate change.
Goals
We have set the following goals:
The objective of the project is to strengthen adaptation to climate change by reducing the risks and vulnerabilities associated with glacial lake outburst floods in Central Asia’s mountain regions. The project is funded by the Adaptation Fund ($6.5 million), covers four countries and has a duration of five years.
- Sharpening Analysis: Collaborating with stakeholders to enhance analysis and understanding of GLOFs, DRR, EWS, and environmental sectors.
- Providing Information: Offering comprehensive information about opportunities, stakeholders, publications, and audiovisual materials related to climate change, GLOFs, EWS, DRR, and environmental sectors.
- Investing in Strategic Communications: Utilizing electronic media, webinars, online conferences, and seminars to enhance communication and knowledge sharing.
- Promoting Transparency: Contributing to increased transparency regarding GLOFs, EWS, DRR, and climate change issues in Central Asia to protect people and the environment, particularly in mountainous areas.
Our Values
At GLOFCA.org, we adhere to the following core values:
- Independence and Impartiality: We provide information to the widest possible audience and consider our work a public good, ensuring unrestricted access to all website content.
- Teamwork and Accountability: We believe in the power of collaboration, collegiality, and accountability to achieve better results and foster development.
- Cooperation and Mutual Understanding: We emphasize cooperation as the key to peace, economic growth, and social development. Mutual understanding is crucial for successful outcomes.
- People-Centric Approach: We prioritize the well-being and involvement of people in all our development efforts, recognizing their ultimate role in making a difference.
We invite you to explore our website and join us in our efforts to enhance knowledge, promote resilience, and protect communities and the environment in Central Asia and beyond.
The cryosphere, made up of glaciers, permafrost, and snow, in the Pamir and Tian Shan mountains provides essential freshwater for millions of people in Central Asia, primarily for agriculture and daily use. Climate change is causing changes of the cryosphere, which poses risk to both the communities and environment. Rising temperatures in the mountains are causing glaciers to melt at an alarming rate, leading to the formation of numerous lakes that pose a significant risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs). Developing a regional exchange of information on the status of the cryosphere, establishing early warning systems on the glacier lakes and extensive community training can help significantly to adapt to the climate change and reduce risks.
