• The research concept was drafted and presented at the Second meeting of the Basin Dialogue on the Amu Darya River Basin and agreed upon by authorized country experts (4 December 2024, Urgench).


• A joint team of regional and national experts has been established, and the Research Plan has been formally approved. The selection of national experts from the basin countries (Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) was conducted through a tender process. The Research Plan, along with the study’s methodology and structure, was finalized and agreed upon during the first expert group meeting on November 28 (online).
• Preliminary results of the study on the current status of ecosystems in the Amu Darya River Basin and the proposed measures for sustainability and preservation of the ecosystems were presented at:

• the second meeting of the expert team: (1) by national experts from Tajikistan (A. Gulakhmadov), Turkmemenistan (G. Nurmukhamedova) and Uzbekistan (T. Khalikov) – country reports; (2) by the research lead (Z. Yarullina) – consolidated regional report (28 May, Dushanbe). Following the meeting, the primary issues that require further development and clarification by the national experts were identified;
• session 2 “Science-Policy Interface for WEFE Nexus” of the Regional Forum “Enhancing Transboundary Cooperation for Water Sustainability and Climate Resilience in Glacier-Dependent Basins of Central Asia” organized on the sidelines of the High-Level International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation (Dushanbe, 29 May);
• Nineth meeting of the Task Force on the Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystems (WFEE) Nexus (Geneve, Switzerland, 18 June);
• Fourth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on developing a mutually beneficial water-energy mechanism in Central Asia (Astana, 10 July).

Field visits were carried out to critical environmental sites within the Amu Darya River Basin, including the Beshai Palangon State Nature Reserve (formerly Tigrovaya Balka, Tajikistan, May 30), and the Lower Amu Darya Biosphere Reserve (Republic of Karakalpakstan), the Jayran Ecocenter and its surrounding water bodies, as well as the Kuyimazar and Tudakul reservoirs in Bukhara province of Uzbekistan (July 27–29). These visits culminated in the production of a documentary film titled “From the Pamir Heights to the Amu Darya Lower Reaches.”

• The consolidated final report, a package of joint measures for environmental improvement, and the documentary film “From the Pamir Heights to the Amu Darya Lower Reaches” were presented at the Third meeting of Basin dialogues in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya River Basins as part of the Regional Program “Climate-sensitive water resources management in Central Asia” (Tashkent, 2 December).

• The research concept was drafted and presented at the Second meeting of the Basin Dialogue on the Syr Darya River Basin and agreed upon by authorized country experts (Tashkent, 22 January 2025).

• A joint team of regional and national experts has been established, and the Research Plan has been formally approved. The selection of national experts from the basin countries (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan) was conducted through a tender process. The Research Plan, along with the study’s methodology and structure, was agreed upon during the first expert group meeting on December 26 (online).
• Preliminary results of the study on assessment of the current status of water infrastructure in the Syr Darya River Basin and the suggested recommendations for the improvement of climate resilience were presented at:

• the second meeting of the expert team (16 September, online);
• Fourth Meeting of the Regional Working Group on developing a mutually beneficial water-energy mechanism in Central Asia (Astana, 10 July);
• a workshop “Sustainable and resilient water security in Central Asia” (Almaty, 21 September).

• Field missions were carried out to key water infrastructure sites in the Syr Darya basin (Uzbekistan), covering the Upper Chirchik hydroscheme, Tashkent reservoir (27 October), and the Dustlik, SHSC, Zakh, and Khanym canals (28 October). These visits concluded with an analytical report summarizing the results.

• Preliminary consolidate report on the results of the study was presented at the Third meeting of Basin dialogues in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya River Basins organized as part of the Regional Program “Climate-sensitive water resources management in Central Asia” (Tashkent, 2 December).

• The draft research concept was developed, presented and agreed upon at the Third meeting of Basin dialogues in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya River Basins (Tashkent, 2 December).
• Team mobilization initiated at both regional and national levels (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan).