Kyrgyzstan proposes UN trust fund for Issyk-Kul, pledges $10 million

September 23, 2026 at 08:45 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov proposed at the UN General Assembly on September 23, 2026, the creation of a UN trust fund to preserve Lake Issyk-Kul, pledging $10 million from the state budget. The initiative comes as the lake's level has fallen nearly 14 meters over 170 years, with the decline accelerating to 7 cm per year in the last five years.

Key Facts

Kyrgyzstan proposed creating a UN trust fund for Lake Issyk-Kul and pledged $10 million from its state budget.
Lake Issyk-Kul's water level has dropped nearly 14 meters over the past 170 years.
The lake's water level decline has accelerated to 7 cm per year over the last five years.
More than 30% of Tian Shan glaciers, the lake's main water source, have melted over the past 70 years.
Only about 30 of the 101 rivers that historically fed Issyk-Kul now flow year-round.

UN Trust Fund Proposal

President Sadyr Japarov announced the initiative at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on September 23, 2026. He stated that Kyrgyzstan is not seeking financial aid but proposing a global partnership to preserve the lake. The proposed fund would serve as a platform for financing and coordinating projects to protect the lake and its water ecosystems. Kyrgyzstan is ready to contribute $10 million from the state budget to the future fund.

Climate Stress Indicators

Japarov highlighted that the lake's water level has fallen almost 14 meters over 170 years, with the decline accelerating to 7 cm annually in the last five years. Historically, 101 rivers flowed into Issyk-Kul, but only about 30 now run year-round. Tian Shan glaciers, a key water source for the lake, have lost more than 30% of their area over the past 70 years. About 20% of that glacier loss occurred in the last 7-10 years, according to Japarov.

National Measures and Appeal

Kyrgyzstan is implementing a sustainable development concept for the Issyk-Kul ecological and economic system through 2030. The country is strengthening environmental restrictions and launching projects to monitor lake depth using underwater robotic technologies. Japarov called on the UN, international financial institutions, and donor countries to support the fund's creation. He described Issyk-Kul as 'our common climate amanat' and stressed that Kyrgyzstan offers international partnership, not just financial assistance.