Mott MacDonald, the leading engineering, management and development consultancy, has been appointed by the Asian Development Bank to carry out climate resilience planning and capacity building in Tajikistan. The studies form part of the joint Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and World Bank PilotProgrammefor Climate Resilience in nine countries around the world.

Tajikistan, a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia, is among the countries that are most vulnerable to climate change. There are worsening weather conditions, more frequent floods and droughts, increasing glacier melt, combined with already frequent earthquakes, landslides and avalanches. All of which pose a severe threat to the country’s food security, ecosystems, downstream infrastructure, communities and services such as irrigation, hydropower and potable water. As nearly half of Central Asia’s water resources originate in the Tajikistan mountains, there are concerns the melting glaciers could eventually lead to water shortages across the entire region.

Mott MacDonald’s role, as technical consultant, involves assessing the vulnerability of Tajikistan’s water sector assets to climate impact. This will include identifying and prioritising vulnerable communities, ecosystems and infrastructure. The consultancy will be required to develop adaptation and mitigation measures for climate change, based on downscaled hydroclimate impact models. The company will demonstrate ways to integrate climate risk and resilience into core development planning as well as prepare sector-based hazard management investment plans.

Wim Verheugt, Mott MacDonald’s project director said, “This is a very important project for Tajikistan and we are proud to be able to offer our assistance. The country is Central Asia’s most impoverished country and stands to be the hardest hit by climate change. The outcome of our studies will help the Asian Development Bank, along with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank, and other development partners, to develop and invest in effective adaptation and mitigation measures for climate change.”

He continued, “Mott MacDonald has over 80 years’ worldwide experience in every aspect of water development and management. We look forward to offering our wealth of skills and knowledge to the project.”

The project is due for completion by July 2011.

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