A high-level international conference on glacier preservation took place in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, from May 29 to 31. The event brought together regional and international stakeholders to address the urgent need for glacier preservation in the context of climate change.
Ara Mkrtchyan, Deputy Minister of Environment of the RA delivered a speech during the session titled “Socio-economic Impacts of Glacier Melting”. He expressed his deep appreciation for the initiative of the Government of Tajikistan in organizing the conference and emphasized that glacier preservation is critically important not only for Armenia, but for the entire region.
He outlined the challenges posed by climate change in Armenia, highlighting the anthropogenic impact on water resources, the rise in the frequency of disasters, and the resulting damages. He emphasized the critical importance of disaster risk management and international cooperation. The Deputy Minister also noted that the floods recorded in Armenia in 2024 caused significant damage, with restoration costs estimated at approximately 120 million dollars.