The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have launched a new initiative to enhance the climate resilience of water systems in the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, addressing the increasing impacts of climate change on water resources and essential services.
The Resilient Water Systems programme combines €100 million in EBRD financing, €55 million in GCF grants and €5 million in donor co-financing grants to support investments in water supply, wastewater and irrigation infrastructure while promoting institutional reforms and long-term climate adaptation planning.
According to the partners, the programme is designed to improve the reliability and sustainability of water services for hundreds of thousands of people. Alongside infrastructure upgrades, it will strengthen water utilities, support sector reforms and develop adaptation pathways to help water systems withstand the effects of rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, droughts and floods.
Gianpiero Nacci, EBRD Managing Director for Climate Strategy and Delivery, said: “Climate change is changing how water systems operate and how they fail. Building resilience requires more than rehabilitating infrastructure. It requires understanding climate risks, strengthening institutions and investing in systems that can continue to perform under increasingly uncertain conditions.
“This programme demonstrates how climate resilience can be integrated into water sector planning and investment, helping communities, utilities and governments to prepare for future challenges.”
Thomas Eriksson, GCF Regional Director for Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East, said: “This is a major regional investment by the Green Climate Fund in long-term water security and climate resilience, helping the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan to move from reactive repairs to deeper, system-level adaptation. The programme will support policy reform, institutional strengthening and climate-resilient infrastructure, reflecting the GCF’s commitment to strengthening country ownership of climate action and being a partner of choice for developing countries.”
