The Future of the Aral Sea Lies in Transboundary Co-operation - UNEP Global Environmental Alert Service (GEAS) - January 2014

Diversion of water sources has caused the Aral Sea in Central Asia to decline significantly over the past five decades. It has broken into several smaller seas, leaving behind a vast desert and a multitude of environmental, economic and social problems. Recent restorative action reveals a rebound of the fishing industry in what is now the North Aral Sea, possibly indicating a turn for the better, but it has come at the expense of the South Aral Sea. Although the water levels of the Aral Sea may never return to pre-1960s levels, transboundary co-operation on the implementation and compliance of conservation policies and activities provides some hope for the survival of the Aral Sea