BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 5. Azerbaijan has experienced extremely dry conditions over the past four years, with water levels in reservoirs approaching critically low levels, said Rafig Verdiyev, Head of the Cadastral and Accounting Department, Trend reports.
Speaking during a press conference of the State Control Service for Water Use and Protection under the State Water Resources Agency of Azerbaijan, Verdiyev noted that in the lower reaches of the Kura river, the water has been so scarce during the summer months that some days it was almost on the verge of drying up. As a result, the country's overall water resources have decreased by more than 25 percent during this period.
In addition, Verdiyev brought attention to the fact that several climate scenarios predict that temperatures will rise at a faster rate unless greenhouse gas emissions are lowered to the required levels.
"As a result, the frequency of dry years will rise, and droughts will intensify. This could cause an additional 30 percent reduction in our water resources by the century's end, exacerbating water security challenges. To address future water scarcity issues, it is crucial to take significant steps, including planting forests in river basins, improving water efficiency, preventing water losses, expanding the use of alternative water sources, promoting water reuse, and applying water-saving methods and technologies in agriculture," he concluded.
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