scholarly journals Central Asian modulation of Northern Hemisphere moisture transfer over the Late Cenozoic

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Prud’homme ◽  
Giancarlo Scardia ◽  
Hubert Vonhof ◽  
Damien Guinoiseau ◽  
Saida Nigmatova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Moisture Transfer ◽  
Isotope Geochemistry ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Surface Dynamics ◽  
Pressure System ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Climatic Evolution

AbstractEarth’s climatic evolution over the last 5 million years is primarily understood from the perspective of marine mechanisms, however, the role of terrestrial feedbacks remains largely unexplored. Here we reconstruct the last 5 million years of soil moisture variability in Central Asia using paleomagnetism data and isotope geochemistry of an 80 m-thick sedimentary succession at Charyn Canyon, Kazakhstan. We identify a long-term trend of increasing aridification throughout the period, along with shorter-term variability related to the interaction between mid-latitude westerlies and the Siberian high-pressure system. This record highlights the long-term contribution of mid-latitude Eurasian terrestrial systems to the modulation of moisture transfer into the Northern Hemisphere oceans and back onto land via westerly air flow. The response of Earth-surface dynamics to Plio-Pleistocene climatic change in Central Asia likely generated terrestrial feedbacks affecting ocean and atmospheric circulation. This missing terrestrial link elucidates the significance of land-water feedbacks for long-term global climate.

scholarly journals Central Asian Modulation of Northern Hemisphere Moisture Transfer Over the Late Cenozoic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Prud'homme ◽  
Giancarlo Scardia ◽  
Hubert Vonhof ◽  
Damien Guinoiseau ◽  
Saida Nigmatova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
Moisture Transfer ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Rainfall Variability ◽  
Pressure System ◽  
Central Eurasia ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Climatic Evolution

Abstract Earth’s climatic evolution over the last 5 million years (Myr) is primarily understood from the perspective of marine mechanisms. While changes in ocean circulation go a long way towards explaining the transport of moisture onto the continents, the role of terrestrial feedbacks in the opposite direction remain largely unexplored. Here we reconstruct the last 5 Myr of rainfall variability in Central Eurasia from an 80 m-thick sedimentary succession at Charyn Canyon, Kazakhstan. Charyn Canyon lies at the centre of the world’s largest land mass and at the present-day transition between the mid-latitude westerlies and Siberian high-pressure system. Our record provides the first opportunity to interrogate long-term interactions between mid-latitude westerly and high latitude climate systems over the Eurasian continent. This missing terrestrial link highlights the significance of land-water feedbacks for long-term global climate.

Emerging food and nutrition security challenges in Central Asia—implications for BRICS and emerging economies

2020 ◽  
pp. 909-932
Author(s):  
Suresh Chandra Babu ◽  
Kamiljon Akramov
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Food And Nutrition Security ◽  
Nutrition Security ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Security Challenges ◽  
Food And Nutrition ◽  
Critical Issues

In the last two decades, Central Asia has gone through several transitions in institutions and governance, each with consequences for the agricultural sectors in the region. Since their independence, the five countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, have made considerable progress towards increasing domestic food production. However, food security in the region is still threatened by major geopolitical and socio-economic challenges. Lack of support from institutions to advance farming has resulted in the low level of food security in the region. Lack of research and extension of support to farmers and low capacity for designing evidence-based policies are major challenges to the region’s food security. This chapter identifies critical issues and challenges faced by Central Asian countries for attaining short-term and long-term food and nutrition security, and the implications for BRICS and other emerging economies.

Central Asia

2020 ◽  
pp. 508-542
Author(s):  
Pierre Siméon
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Historical Survey ◽  
Main River ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Islamic Archaeology ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
Central Asian Republics ◽  
Vast Territory

This chapter explores the Islamic archaeology of Central Asia. Central Asian medieval ities were investigated by Russian researchers since the last quarter of the 19th century but the results of these excavations remain little known in the west. The predominance of historical survey studies, extensive excavations, and an impressive number of publications provides a basis for understanding the organization and distribution of the Islamic Central Asian cities. Their interactions within this vast territory and with the Middle East emerge in contemporary debates. Trade plays a major role in these contacts, and the sedentary-nomadic interface stimulated the economy. Nevertheless, few studies bring together the work carried out over the long term and enable an understanding of the variation and evolution of Islamic trade and urbanism in Central Asia. Outlines of the medieval societies are known, but the details remain unclear. This chapter follows the main river basins (Amu Darya and Syr Daria) and steppic and desert interfaces to understand the basis and extent of Russian archeology in Central Asia from the Tsarist period (c. 1850–1917) until today. The construction of a field of Central Asian Islamic archaeology and the main challenges confronting researchers in the five Central Asian republics are also considered.

scholarly journals Multilateral Banks’ Participation in Infrastructure Projects of the Eurasian Economic Union and in the Belt and Road Initiative in Central Asia

2020 ◽  
pp. 107-111
Author(s):  
Alexander S. Burnasov ◽  
◽  
Ksenia G. Muratshina ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Infrastructure Investment ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Development Bank ◽  
Investment Bank ◽  
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank ◽  
Strategic Value ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
International Banks

This article analyses the infrastructure projects in Central Asia, which are being financed by two major international organisations, two multilateral banks: the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The article aims to evaluate the activity of these two institutions in the region and to compare their priorities and the probable efficiency of their projects for the development of Central Asian countries. The choice of the region for the study is conditioned by the fact that Central Asian states are Russia’s close neighbours, and the whole region is characterised by its critical strategic value for Russia’s foreign policy. The methodology of the study is based on the use of discourse analysis of the organisations’ documents, accessible for public: agreements, plans, reports, project-related documentation. In addition, the authors have monitored and analysed the relevant news archives of Russian and foreign mass media. The article consequently analyses the typology of both organisations through the lens of the international integration studies, the institutional structure of the EDB and the AIIB, the specific features of their functioning as international relations actors, and the actual infrastructure projects financed by these institutions in Central Asia. The study demonstrates that the policies and the priorities of the two international banks differ considerably. While the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank prefers to finance the construction of roads and energy infrastructure, the Eurasian Development Bank remarkably credits production more and finances projects aimed at the industrial cooperation of Eurasian countries. Obviously, in the view of the long-term development, all areas of infrastructure expansion are worth financing; however, one can note that projects, approved by the EDB, can be characterised as more significant both at the present stage and in the long-term perspective. In addition, they contribute to the development of regional economic cooperation and Eurasian integration. If we look at the environmental and social safety of the infrastructure projects, the activities of the AIIB, regardless of its declarations on sustainable development, bear certain risks due to the existing cases of violation of environmental rules by the bank’s founder and major operator – the People’s Republic of China – in its infrastructure projects abroad. This circumstance highlights the critical importance of elaboration of national and multilateral mechanisms of control and inspection of major international infrastructure projects, as well as the necessity to fulfill the obligation of demanding their approval by the citizens of the recipient countries.

NATO and Central Asia: Security, interests and values in a strategic region

2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Vinnikov
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Core Values ◽  
Common Interest ◽  
Democratic Values ◽  
Partnership For Peace ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
The Military

AbstractThe author provides an analytical overview of NATO's relations with, and policies towards, its Central Asian Partners. Since 11 September 2001, pursuing deeper engagement with Central Asian governments responds to the — at times conflicting — requirements of realpolitik and of advancing core values upon which the Alliance was founded sixty years ago, and which are also enshrined in its Partnership for Peace (PfP). In analysing this tension between pragmatism and idealism, the article focuses on five main aspects. The author concludes that NATO's approach towards Central Asia reflects an ever-present/inherent tension between pursuing security imperatives, underlying interests and core values. The result is a complex and somewhat uneasy policy, which seeks to reconcile these at times contradictory elements. Hence the Alliance has pursued enhanced engagement with Central Asian Partners in the belief that through daily cooperation in key areas of NATO and/or common interest, some core democratic values would eventually be incorporated into Partners' approach towards security, the role of the military, and international co-operation, thus benefiting the long term process of democratisation.

The military-political situation in Central Asia in the context of the growing instability in Afghanistan

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 43-80
Author(s):  
Z. A. Kokoshina
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Russian Federation ◽  
Economic Potential ◽  
Political Situation ◽  
Asian Region ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
Expert Community ◽  
The Military

The Central Asian region due to its economic potential and strategic signifi -cance has traditionally been of particular importance for Russia’s foreign policy. It was therefore not surprising that a serious deterioration of the political situation in Afghanistan in summer-autumn 2021 caused by the military defeat and the subsequent collapse of the pro-Western regime followed by the seizure of power by the Taliban raised serious concern of the Russian leadership. The developments in Afghanistan have attracted an increasing attention of the expert community, prompting a fl urry of comments and forecasts. Although many of these papers were published hastily, their assessments and conclusion were usually based on the long-term observations. This paper attempts to provide an overview of the military-political situation in the Central Asian region as it was caught by a new crisis in Afghanistan and as it is seen by both Russian and foreign experts. The fi rst section outlines positions and interests of the key regional and non-regional actors that have a signifi cant impact on the military-political situation in Central Asia. The second section examines the response of the Russian Federation to the situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban took power. Finally, the third section provides an overview of the latest expert comments and reports that attempt to assess possible implications of those events for the regional military-political dynamics and the national security interests of the Russian Federation.

scholarly journals Profiling Aerosol Optical Properties at the Central Asian Site of Dushanbe, Tajikistan: Pure Dust Cases

2020 ◽  
Vol 237 ◽  
pp. 02027
Author(s):  
Julian Hofer ◽  
Dietrich Althausen ◽  
Sabur F. Abdullaev ◽  
Abduvosit N. Makhmudov ◽  
Bakhron I. Nazarov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Asian Dust ◽  
Aerosol Optical Properties ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Ground Based Lidar ◽  
First Time ◽  
532 Nm

Tajikistan is often affected by atmospheric mineral dust originating from various surrounding deserts. The direct and indirect radiative effects of that dust play a sensitive role in the Central Asian climate system and therefore need to be quantified. The Central Asian Dust Experiment (CADEX) provides for the first time an aerosol climatology for Central Asia based long-term aerosol profiling by ground-based lidar (PollyXT type) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. For pure dust cases, mean depolarization(lidar) ratios of 0.23±0.03(44±3 sr) at 355 nm and 0.32±0.02(38±3 sr) at 532 nm wavelength have been measured. The mean extinction-related Ångström exponent was 0.18±0.15.

scholarly journals Investment Climate and Foreign Direct Investment Trends in the South Caucasus and Central Asia

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-40
Author(s):  
Slavica Penev
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Transition Process ◽  
Investment Climate ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
The South ◽  
South Caucasus ◽  
Central Asian

Investment Climate and Foreign Direct Investment Trends in the South Caucasus and Central AsiaThis paper analyzes and compares investment climates and trends in the South Caucasus and Central Asia. The analyses and comparisons were conducted in view of the impacts of transitional progress, economic development, and the energy reserves from these regions on the inflow of foreign direct investment. Improvement of the investment climate by accelerating the transition process and reducing investment risks can be seen as the most important determinants of FDI inflows into the countries of these two regions. Structural diversification of South Caucasian and Central Asian natural resource-based economies would be essential in ending dependence on the energy and mining sectors and would have positive long-term effects on economic growth and the investment climate, and attract other, additional types of FDI.

scholarly journals Re-establishing glacier monitoring in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Central Asia

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 397-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Hoelzle ◽  
Erlan Azisov ◽  
Martina Barandun ◽  
Matthias Huss ◽  
Daniel Farinotti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Tien Shan ◽  
Data Series ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Monitoring Strategy ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Glacier mass loss is among the clearest indicators of atmospheric warming. The observation of these changes is one of the major objectives of the international climate monitoring strategy developed by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). Long-term glacier mass balance measurements are furthermore the basis for calibrating and validating models simulating future runoff of glacierised catchments. This is essential for Central Asia, which is one of the driest continental regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In the highly populated regions, water shortage due to decreased glacierisation potentially leads to pronounced political instability, drastic ecological changes and endangered food security. As a consequence of the collapse of the former Soviet Union, however, many valuable glacier monitoring sites in the Tien Shan and Pamir Mountains were abandoned. In recent years, multinational actors have re-established a set of important in situ measuring sites to continue the invaluable long-term data series. This paper introduces the applied monitoring strategy for selected glaciers in the Kyrgyz and Uzbek Tien Shan and Pamir, highlights the existing and the new measurements on these glaciers, and presents an example for how the old and new data can be combined to establish multi-decadal mass balance time series. This is crucial for understanding the impact of climate change on glaciers in this region.

Problems of military-political interaction between the countries of the West and Central Asia at the turn of the XX–XXI centuries

2020 ◽  
pp. 27-33
Author(s):  
Boris G. Koybaev
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
The United States ◽  
Military Bases ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
The West ◽  
Regional Environment ◽  
Western Influence ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Political Interaction ◽  
The Military

Central Asia in recent history is a vast region with five Muslim States-new actors in modern international relations. The countries of Central Asia, having become sovereign States, at the turn of the XX–XXI centuries are trying to peaceful interaction not only with their underdeveloped neighbors, but also with the far-off prosperous West. At the same time, the United States and Western European countries, in their centrosilic ambitions, seek to increase their military and political presence in Central Asia and use the military bases of the region’s States as a springboard for supplying their troops during anti-terrorist and other operations. With the active support of the West, the Central Asian States were accepted as members of the United Nations. For monitoring and exerting diplomatic influence on the regional environment, the administration of the President of the Russian Federation H. W. Bush established U.S. embassies in all Central Asian States. Turkey, a NATO member and secular Islamic state, was used as a lever of indirect Western influence over Central Asian governments, and its model of successful development was presented as an example to follow.

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