2.3 UNDAF Outcome: There is a more sustainable management of the environment
and energy and natural resources
Rationale. The third outcome
has been included because
significant improvements in
national capacities are needed if
Tajikistan is to meet its national
goals and MDGs in this area.
There are three pressing issues
that the government argues
must be addressed if the
country is to lay the foundations
for sustainable and equitable
growth, and peaceful coexistence
with its neighbours.
First, national and trans-national
agreements and policies
covering environmental and
natural resources must be better
designed and implemented. In
addition to large-scale
international agreements
affecting Tajikistan, there are
regional issues to address. For
example, industrial pollution,
hydroelectricity and irrigation
are three environmental issues
that can only be satisfactorily
addressed from a regional
perspective. The UNCT has a
comparative advantage in
managing and building
capacities in international treaty
negotiations. From a domestic
perspective, the management of
water resources for drinking and
irrigation is a particularly
pressing issue.
Significant issues have arisen from the pollution of the drinking water
supply (e.g. water-related diseases are among the most common causes of child mortality).
Problems in this sector will impede the achievement of other MDGs. The UNCT’s
comparative advantage is on small-scale system implementation and its ability to improve
behaviours, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas.
Second, Tajikistan’s future development and poverty reduction depend on the country’s
ability to effectively use its energy resources. Its current energy supply is unreliable,
hindering economic growth. This has forced an over-reliance on wood fuels, leading to soil
erosion, large-scale deforestation, and landslide risks. While other large institutions, such
as the WB and bilateral donors, are well placed to support large-scale infrastructure projects,
the UNCT can draw on its technical expertise and experience in other countries to introduce
low-cost sustainable alternative energy technologies for vulnerable households. The UNCT
will also promote energy efficiency measures, such as building awareness on the financial
and environmental benefits of energy conservation, as well as introducing energy
rationalization policies (e.g. changing pricing, etc.).
Third, environmental degradation and dangers are threatening the country’s development
potential. Tajikistan is a highly disaster-prone country, vulnerable to natural hazards, such
as earthquakes, landslides, floods, avalanches, and extreme climate conditions.
Deforestation and over-grazing have deteriorated soil quality and increased the risk of
landslides and flooding. Tajikistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change
in Central Asia. Considering the impact climate changes has on agriculture and hydropower
generation, this topic is an important consideration in the UNDAF. Furthermore,
environmental degradation may result in additional displacement or migration of
populations. This is why programmatic interventions in the field of water management will
primarily consider issues related to integrated water resource management, environment,
and health, both before and after programme implementation. In the context of issues
related to climate change, the prioritized issues pertain to governance, monitoring and
information-sharing.
The environmental issues will be closely connected with the government activities and
interests targeted at poverty reduction and overall economic development. Tajikistan will
likely become one of the pilot countries for the Poverty and Environment Initiative initiated
by UNDP and UNEP. The main focus will be on addressing the linkage between poverty and
environment in the national development planning process.
UNCT, under the leadership of REACT’s team, will continue to facilitate coordination and
better cooperation in the field of disaster preparedness and response. The National DRR
strategy is to be finalized with support of REACT, and will integrate gender related
dimensions of potential disasters, as well as promote involvement of women as real
contributors to DRR strategy.
Results. The UNCT will work to achieve four outcomes. First, it expects that by 2015,
national and trans-national agreements and policies covering environmental and natural
resources will be better designed and implemented. From one perspective, the UNCT will
focus on developing the capacity of government authorities to (i) negotiate, ratify and
implement major international conventions, and (ii) design trans-national policy and legal
frameworks, on the sustainable management of natural resources (including world heritage),
water and biodiversity. From another perspective, the UNCT and its partners will work to
ensure that local governments and community organisations have strengthened their
ownership, capacities, and resources to sustainably manage their water and sanitation
networks. For example, the UNCT will support government authorities in developing
relevant policies and regulatory frameworks, and will enable non-governmental actors to
play a role in this process. The UNCT will also build the management capacities of a select
number of water user associations.
The UNCT anticipates that there will be an increased presence of Alternative and Renewable
Technologies (AReTs) in the energy sector. With the development of private sector
partnerships, a market chain will likely be established to address energy efficiency and
conservation issues.
Third, the UNCT anticipates that sustainable natural resource management will be more
widely practiced and understood. In particular, the UNCT will work to ensure that public
authorities and communities (particularly farmers) have the knowledge, skills and resources
to practice sustainable environmental management. The UNCT will work with universities
and the media to improve understanding of environmental protection and preservation.
Furthermore, the UNCT will work on developing the capacity of national and sub-national
authorities to draft environmentally sustainable strategies, policies and programmes. In the
water sector intervention will primarily consider environmental and health issues during the
design stage measuring the baseline health situation before intervention.
Fourth, the UNCT will support the government in strategically addressing disaster risk
management issues through strengthening national capacities to implement specific disaster
mitigation measures. Prioritization of interventions will be ensured through approval of the
National Disaster Management Strategy (NDMS) and implementation of its Action Plan.
Bilateral and other donors will be lobbied to safeguard population from hazard threats and
provide support during early recovery interventions and disaster response. Following pilot
cases in specific districts, a comprehensive Early Recovery programme will be initiated to
address the underlying causes and mitigate the negative effects of the current compound
crisis (i.e. water, energy, food insecurity and disaster risk) affecting Tajikistan. These
interventions are expected to bridge the current gap between humanitarian response and
long-term recovery and development, and break the cycle of recurrent crises and response.
Partners and Coordination. The main partners are the Ministry of Water Management
and Irrigation (MoWMI), Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Committee on Environmental
Protection (CoEP), State Commission for Emergency Situations (SCES), Committee on
Emergency Situations (CoES), REACT partners, local authorities, water user groups, microfinancing institutions, and private sector agents. In the area of water and sanitation,
partnerships will be organised based on the particular interventions, using governmental
stakeholders to lead the process. Organising principles of coordination will include
decentralisation and an active role for civil society. The UN Theme Working Group on Clean
Water, Sustainable Environment and Energy will oversee UNDAF activities and facilitate
coordination between partners. The REACT team in Dushanbe and other regions will ensure
coordination of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) initiatives, especially during times of
disasters. Early Recovery Focal Points will coordinate early recovery initiatives.
