The Aral Sea Crisis and Environmental Reforms in Uzbekistan

The Aral Sea, once the fourth-largest inland water body in the world, has contracted to 90% of its original volume, becoming one of the greatest ecological catastrophes of the twentieth century. Over the past decade, the Government of Uzbekistan under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has undertaken unprecedented measures to mitigate the environmental consequences of the crisis. The paper analyzes the history of the catastrophe, its ecological and social consequences, as well as the complex of governmental initiatives, including the "Yashil Makon" program, water management reforms, energy transformation, and international cooperation.