UNESCO Extends Mandate of Central Asian Glaciology Centre

The Kazakh parliament has ratified an agreement with UNESCO renewing the status of the Central Asian Regional Glaciological Centre as a Category 2 center under UNESCO’s auspices.

Signed on June 19, 2025, in Astana, the agreement aims to strengthen international scientific cooperation on mountain glaciers, snow, and permafrost, and to assess their impact on regional water resources amid climate change, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

The renewal, valid for eight years, will support the Center’s research, education, and coordination activities in glaciology and water resources. A Governing Board with representatives from Kazakhstan, UNESCO, and regional states will oversee operations, while joint projects, seminars, and training programs with international experts will be promoted. The initiative also ensures open scientific data exchange and the adoption of modern technologies for glacier monitoring and preservation.

The move comes as concerns rise globally about rapid glacial loss, including reports of an Antarctic glacier shrinking nearly half its length in just two months.