INTERNATIONAL FORUM: DAY 2 – FORESIGHT SESSION ON WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT OF ALMATY

On the second day of the International Scientific and Expert Forum held at the Kazakh National Agrarian Research University (KazNARU), a foresight session took place aimed at developing long-term scenarios for sustainable water resource management in the city of Almaty.

The foresight session became a logical continuation of the first day of the forum and marked the transition from theoretical analysis of water security challenges to practical strategic planning.

Representatives of Almaty Su, the Water Hub of KazNARU, Kazhydromet, the U.M. Akhmedsafin Institute of Hydrogeology and Geoecology, Satbayev University, Kazvodkhoz, and the Central Asian Institute for Environmental Research actively participated in the session. Representatives of the scientific community, government authorities, and профиль organizations who attended the first day of the forum also took part in the discussions.

The session was opened with welcoming remarks by the Dean of the Faculty, Meiram Buranovich Arystanov, who emphasized the strategic importance of developing scientifically grounded scenarios for sustainable water management in Almaty and highlighted the need to consolidate scientific and sectoral expertise.

The methodology was introduced to participants by Professor Ali Torabi Haghighi (University of Oulu, Finland) and Aziza Meiramovna Baubekova, PhD (University of Oulu, Finland). The foresight session was facilitated by Ivan Radelyuk, who ensured coordination of expert groups and professional moderation of discussions.

The work was based on an internationally recognized foresight approach, which includes:

identification of key drivers of change and critical uncertainties;
assessment of development drivers within the water governance system;
formulation of alternative scenarios;
expert evaluation of their sustainability and feasibility.

During group and analytical work, participants developed possible development pathways for Almaty’s water management system, taking into account climate risks, transformation of water consumption patterns, infrastructure conditions, institutional and regulatory constraints, and the needs of sustainable urban development.

The developed scenarios provide a foundation for further strategic planning, interagency coordination, and the integration of scientific tools into managerial decision-making processes.

The foresight session made it possible to:

formulate an expert vision of future challenges;
identify priority areas for reforming water governance;
lay the groundwork for analytical reports and scientific publications;
strengthen the university’s role as a national expert platform on water security issues.

The results of the second day of the forum contribute to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).