BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Significant effort is being made in the direction of using alternate water sources, both for seawater desalination and the reuse of wastewater, Head of the Department of Geography and Environment at Khazar University, water resources specialist Rovshan Abbasov told Trend.
"Azerbaijan is taking tremendous steps to address water scarcity in the face of climate change challenges. A commission was established in 2020 to promote the rational use of water resources, streamline water management, and coordinate related operations. As a result, the State Agency for Water Resources was established. These steps are crucial for avoiding future water shortages. Furthermore, current initiatives call for the progressive adoption of sophisticated agricultural irrigation systems and the concrete lining of clay canals," he said.
Water scarcity currently affects 80 countries, accounting for 40% of the world's population. The United Nations predicts a rise in this number by 2025, with continuous global warming compounding the problem. Climate change presents concerns for Azerbaijan as well.
Zaur Mikayilov, Chairman of Azerbaijan's State Agency for Water Resources, stated earlier that the government has begun the process of saltwater desalination. According to him, this process involves 14 foreign corporations.
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