How Might Climate Change Affect Microeconomic Wellbeing in Central Asia

Abstract

Climate change may pose serious challenges to the economies of Central Asian countries, but in-depth studies on a national level are lacking. The paper is aimed to contribute filling this gap and devoted to assessing the economic impacts of climate change in selected areas of Central Asia. The methods of the desk study and documental analysis are used to summarize the adverse effects of climate change in rural livelihoods. Moreover, the preliminary results of the survey conducted in selected regions of Fergana valley within MikroKlima project used as a corresponding data for economic impact analysis on a household level. The results reveal that the effects of unfavorable weather conditions uneven for short and long term, and across Central Asia. Moreover, the most potential damage from climate change will affect the rural population, and there is also a high positive correlation between water shortage, increased aridity, and poverty, aggravated by climate change. JEL Classification numbers: Q51, Q54, O11, O18; DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12955/cbup.v5.905