The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Central Asian Regional Glaciological Centre, Category 2 under the auspices of UNESCO, held a Scoping Meeting to define the goals, objectives, and implementation mechanisms of the Water Towers Partnership Initiative, which took place online on March 31, 2026.

The meeting was held at a high level with the support of UNESCO (with the participation of Anil Mishra, Head of the Hydrology, Climate and Adaptation Section, Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme, Division of Water Sciences, UNESCO; and Larisa Kogutenko, representative of the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty), and brought together world-class glaciology experts and other stakeholders, including: T. Saks, University of Fribourg, Switzerland; M. Shahgedanova, University of Reading, United Kingdom; M. Zemp, University of Zurich, Director of the World Glacier Monitoring Service, Switzerland; T. Bolch, University of Graz, Austria; R. Satylkanov, Director of the Institute of Water Problems and Hydropower of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyzstan; B. Moldobekov, Co-Director, Central Asian Institute for Applied Geosciences (CAIAG), Kyrgyzstan; R. Rakhmonov, Head of the Glaciological Centre of the Agency for Hydrometeorology under the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan; G. Nosenko, Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences; A. Kayumov, Chief Researcher of the Department of Expeditionary and Field Research, State Scientific Institution “Center for the Study of Glaciers of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan”; M. Petrov, Head of the Laboratory of the Glacial Geology Center of the H.M. Abdullaev Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Uzbekistan; as well as representatives of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan; the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan; the University of Central Asia; the International Science and Technology Center; JSC “Institute of Geography and Water Security”; the U.M. Akhmedsafin Institute of Hydrogeology and Geoecology; and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

Participants of the Scoping Meeting unanimously expressed their support for the Water Towers Partnership Initiative and their readiness for joint cooperation.

Based on the proposals of the Scoping Meeting participants, principles of interaction and cooperation within the framework of the Water Towers Partnership Initiative were formulated, and corresponding decisions were adopted:

– To define the expected forms of cooperation (joint projects, involvement of experts from participating countries in regional/local projects, etc.).

All participants supported the necessity of cooperation and emphasized that it is the most important factor for successful implementation.

– To define the expected forms of cooperation (joint projects, involvement of experts from participating countries in regional/local projects, etc.).

All participants endorsed the importance of cooperation, noting that it is key to the implementation of the Water Towers Partnership Initiative and will contribute to the advancement of cryospheric sciences.

– Various options were proposed regarding the expected forms of cooperation:

joint projects and collaboration not only within the Central Asian region but also at the global level, with the involvement of other foreign countries.

– Organization of a conference.

All participants supported the organization of a conference and proposed holding it at the end of this year or next year, with the intention of organizing such events biennially in the future.

– To discuss research priorities in the field of the mountain cryosphere.

Identified priorities include: cryosphere monitoring, data exchange, assessment of climate-driven changes in glaciation, climate change analysis, and modeling of processes occurring in the cryosphere.

– Capacity building / training of specialists.

This was highlighted as a very important issue, with proposals to organize joint scientific and training seminars, workshops, and expeditions. The University of Central Asia offered its support in training specialists.

– Discussion of funding issues for the WTP Initiative.

The key question raised was whether the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan will finance the WTP Initiative and how to secure donor funding moving forward. This issue requires further consideration.

– To discuss proposals on the governance structure of WTP (Governing Board – composition; powers of the Governing Board, etc.).

It was noted that this would be a Governing Board or Committee operating under the auspices of UNESCO, and in any case, it will have an international character.

Thus, a scientific coalition within the framework of the Water Towers Partnership has been established.