According to estimates, by 2040 the population of Central Asia could reach 96 million people, which will lead to significant pressures on the region's key infrastructure. Nikolai Podguzov, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Development Bank (EADB), pointed out that this region is one of the fastest-growing in the world; however, this growth is associated with serious ecological and logistical risks.
One of the main threats, according to Podguzov, is the increasing shortage of water resources. It is estimated that by 2028, the water deficit could range from 5 to 12 cubic kilometers per year. The worsening situation is linked to climate change and significant wear and tear of infrastructure, leading to the loss of substantial volumes of resources before they reach consumers. In response to this issue, the EADB has already begun financing projects aimed at modernizing irrigation systems and implementing digital methods for accounting water resources in the region.
Additionally, the issue of transport isolation is acute. The distance of Central Asia from the world's oceans exceeds 3000 kilometers, which increases trade costs by 20–40% and slows down the region's economic growth by 1.5 percentage points annually. As a solution to this problem, the EADB proposed a concept for creating an Eurasian transport framework, which includes the formation of a network of corridors such as the "North-South" routes and the Trans-Afghan corridor, providing direct access to the markets of South Asia and the Persian Gulf.
Podguzov noted that to prevent a humanitarian crisis caused by a demographic explosion, the region must immediately implement technological progress in water resource management, energy, and transport. Only large investments in infrastructure and the efficiency of energy systems can ensure the long-term sustainability of Central Asian countries.
