Dr. Caroline Milow
Theme B: Water for Food and Environment Systems
08.10.2025 09:45 – 10:30
Conference Hall #1
Moderator: Marcus Giese
Dr. Milow has worked for the OSCE in several positions in Albania and Kosovo before heading the Economic, Environmental and Good Governance Unit at the OSCE Project Co-ordinator Office in Uzbekistan. She was then seconded by the Federal Foreign Office as political advisor to the European Union Special Representative for Central Asia / EEAS, where she held the desk on water, environment and energy. Since 2011, Dr. Milow has been working intensively on issues of transboundary water management and water diplomacy in Central Asia. Since 2014, she is programme manager at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in Central Asia and is based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. She headed the Federal Foreign Office project ‘Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia’ with EU co-financing on Water Governance in Uzbekistan (2016-2020) as well as the German International Climate Initiative project ‘Ecosystem-based land use and ecosystem conservation on the lower reaches of the Amu Darya’ and is now responsible for the Federal Foreign Office project ‘Green Central Asia II: Transboundary Dialogue on Climate, Environment and Security in Central Asia’ as well as for the project ‘Climate-Sensitive Water Resources Management in Central Asia’ commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development with Swiss co-financing. Both projects are operating in all five Central Asian countries and receive EU co-financing. Dr. Milow heads the technical Secretariat of the Team Europe Initiative on water, energy and climate change in Central Asia.
Image © Private | Dr. Caroline Milow
Abstract
Rivers of Resilience: Transboundary Water Management for Food, Climate, and Security in Central Asia
Climate change poses a substantial threat to both national and regional security in Central Asia, with profound implications for water availability, energy security, and sustainable land use. The region is already experiencing shrinking glaciers, desertification, and extreme weather events such as droughts and floods. Projections indicate warming of up to 6°C by the end of the century, with increased glacier melt in the Tien Shan and Pamir Mountains causing short-term rises in river flow but leading to long-term water scarcity. These dynamics place immense pressure on agro-ecosystems, biodiversity, and food security, with risks of harvest failures and rising food prices.
Given that most water resources in Central Asia are transboundary, insufficient cooperation entails high costs and security risks for the region’s future development. Strengthening regional water cooperation and advancing water diplomacy, guided by the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), are therefore crucial. Building trust and fostering coordinated action are key to ensuring sustainable water management, enhancing resilience, and preventing conflict.
This keynote will explore solutions for climate adaptation and sustainable agro-ecosystem management in the context of German development cooperation. The Green Central Asia Initiative of the German Government supports climate-sensitive and gender-responsive approaches, with a focus on institutional capacity building, scientific collaboration, and knowledge management. By linking water, climate, and security, the Initiative promotes regional cooperation and practical strategies for adaptation that safeguard biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and livelihoods across borders.