The International Round Table on “Glaciers, Water, and Climate: From Observations to Solutions” took place in hybrid format on 18 March 2025. It has been arranged by the Faculty of Geography and Environmental Management, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU). To ensure the sustainability of water resources in Central Asia, the crucial natural reservoirs of freshwater should be considered. Among these are the glaciers, and their accelerated melting due to climate change significantly impacts hydrological processes, ecosystems, socio-economic development, agriculture, energy sector, disaster risk reduction. Utilising modern technologies in monitoring, remote sensing, and modelling, and helps to estimate environmental consequences for water resources and climate.
This event brought together scientists, practitioners, and representatives from governmental and private sectors to share experiences, present research findings, and explore possible solutions for more effective monitoring, forecasting, and management of glacial and hydrometeorological processes. In total about 50 persons attended this event, including about 30 online. The representatives of scientific and academic institutions, government agencies, international (such as World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and non-governmental organizations, young researchers, and experts in hydrology, meteorology, climatology, and related disciplines from Republics of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Finland.
A series of presentations/ talks was delivered by colleagues from the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, WMO, UNESCO Regional Office in Kazakhstan, Central Asian Regional Glaciological Center, University of Helsinki, Research Hydrometeorological Institute (“UzHydroMet”) of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Agency for Hydrometeorology of the Republic Tajikistan, Research Center “KazHydroMet”.

Text by: Hanna K. Lappalainen, Alexander Mahura (Univ Helsinki, INAR)