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Aral Sea ecological disaster in Karakalpakstan
The Aral Sea, once the world's fourth largest lake, began to dry up in the 1960s, and by the 2010s much of its bed had turned into desert.
Open on the interactive globeThe drying of the sea has caused water shortages and contamination, land degradation, desertification, falling incomes and worsening health indicators among the people of Karakalpakstan. In 2025 the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region reached more than 2 million people, including providing safe drinking water to 20,030 people. A UNDP programme to strengthen the resilience of the region's population runs until December 2026.
Needs
- water and sanitation
- health
- livelihoods
Who is helping
Organisations that, according to their own publications, work on this event (2). Donations go directly to each organisation's own website - GLOBURNS does not handle payments.
- United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)UNICEF works for children's health, nutrition, education and protection in more than 190 countries. In Yemen it runs five field offices (Sana'a, Aden, Sa'ada, Hudaydah…Donate on the organisation's website (help.unicef.org)
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)The UN development programme. For about 25 years it has run projects in Karakalpakstan to strengthen the resilience of people in the Aral Sea region (water, agriculture…
Sources
- mptf.undp.org mptf.undp.org/sites/default/files/documents/2026-05/2025_aral_sea_fund_annual_narrative_r…
- undp.org undp.org/uzbekistan/projects/enhancing-resilience-local-population-aral-sea-region
- undp.org undp.org/uzbekistan/press-releases/undp-and-acdf-sign-memorandum-understanding-boost-sust…
- uzbekistan.un.org uzbekistan.un.org/en/node/276602
Seed record, before editorial verification. Every number links to its source; report errors on the Corrections page. Methodology · Corrections
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