Davis Center for Russian & Eurasian Studies

The paper evaluates the current climate change adaptation policies. Kyrgyz Republic is signatory to all global climate agreements and is considered one of the leaders in the development of adaptation actions. However, the analysis shows that the adaptation programs suffer from lack of local context and local leadership. More worryingly, the national adaptation plans fail to meet sustainable adaptation criteria.

The„outbreak„of„the„crisis„in„Russia„has„severe„implica-
tions„ for„ the„ Kyrgyz„ Republic.„ The„ two„ countries„ have„
long-standing,„ deep,„ political„ and„ economic„ relations.„
Since„the„fall„of„the„Soviet„Union,„the„Kyrgyz„Republic„has„
never„been„connected„that„close„to„the„Russian„economy„
like„today.„In„May„2015,„the„Kyrgyz„Republic„will„join„the„
newly„created„Eurasian„Economic„Union„(EEU),„which„will„
further„intensify„relations„between„the„two„countries.

Root  economic  understandings  in  holistic  and 
complete perspectives of benefits derived from
land  and  land-based  ecosystems.
  For  instance, 
carbon  storage  is  now  a  key  international  issue 
affecting  local  populations  and  it  is  important 
to  consider  potential  sources  of  income  for  local 
populations associated with its storage.

Problems of estate property pricings and the seismic risk in the Bishkek city are described in this paper. The study is based on an economic model of expected utility, and the seismic risk is one of the pricing factors of this one. The results showed that the seismic risks are not the main factor to the estate property price in the Bishkek.

Целью данного исследования является проведение быстрой оценки основных экосистемных услуг и описание значимости экосистем природного парка «Чон-Кемин» для благосостояние населения. В силу ограниченности ресурсов быстрая оценка экосистемных услуг не ставит целью оценить все существующие экосистемные услуги местности.
В ходе исследования были определены основные экосистемные услуги природного парка: 1. Обеспечение пастбищами (корм, привес мяса), 2. Древесные продукты (деловой лес, хворост и дрова, 3. Недревесные лесные продукты, 4. Туризм, 5. Биоразнообразие (обеспечение места обитания), 6. Поглощение и хранения углерода.  Общая стоимость оцененных экосистемных услуг составила 9,5 млрд сом.

The goal of this research is to perform fast-track monetary valuation of the main ecosystem services and describe the significance of the natural ecosystems of the natural park “Chon-Kemin” for the population welfare. Due to limited resources it is not the aim of the fast-track valuation to value all ecosystem services of the park.
The research identified the following ecosystem services for valuation: 1. Pasture provision  (fodder, meat production), 2. Timber products (timber, firewood) 3. Non-timber forest products, 4. Recreation, 5. Biodiversity (Habitat provision), 6. Carbon sequestration and storage. The total value of the ecosystem services is 9.5 billion soms.

Air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels in developing counties is a global challenge due its climate change and health effects. Dirty fuel and air pollution have become a serious issue in many Central Asian countries. This article studies the factors that affect household decisions to transition from dirty energy to clean modern fuels using panel data from Kyrgyzstan. The article argues that the choice of fuel depends on a number of endogenous and exogenous factors. Contrary to the conventional wisdom of the ‘energy ladder’ hypothesis, high income does not lead to a full switch to modern fuel, but rather facilitates the transition to consumption of energy from multiple fuel sources. Factors that increase the chances of full fuel transition are education and access to gas. By contrast, the number of elderly family members and size of the house negatively affect the transition to clean energy use.

Urban green spaces (UGS) provide multiple ecosystem services to city residents and are often their only places to spend time in a natural environment. Rapid urbanisation poses difficult choices for city planners who frequently decide to prioritise built infrastructure over retaining or enhancing green spaces, not least because the value of green spaces is rarely recognised in policy and planning processes. This is particularly true in developing countries which face rapidly growing populations and trade-offs between the growing demand for built infrastructure and access to nature. We address the value of public UGS using both a monetary approach and a non-monetary approach. A Contingent Valuation (CV) survey was used to elicit householderś willingness-to-pay (WTP) for three different scenarios to enhance public UGS provision in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Scenarios were based on ongoing public debates on how to address the degradation and loss of existing park areas and on current plans to build new parks. The same survey also employed the Nature Relatedness (NR) scale, which measures individual cognitive attachment to nature, as a non-monetary valuation approach. Our findings showed that a high attachment to nature does not necessarily lead to higher WTP for improved provision of public UGS as WTP is constrained by household characteristics such as income, education and household size. We concluded that monetary valuation techniques could potentially underestimate the value attached to UGS by some population groups (e.g. rural migrants and pensioners) that attach great importance to UGS but whose values are not reflected in a high WTP. Thus, we argue that the assessment of the value of UGS would benefit from combining monetary and non-monetary approaches under various institutional contexts; and that this would be particularly important for cities in developing countries.

Pastures of the Kyrgyz Republic are vital for the livelihoods of at least 60 per cent of
the Kyrgyz population. The natural grasslands provide them with food and income.
Livestock breeding is the main activity and natural pastures provide fodder all around the
year. In addition, high altitude pastures provide number of ecosystem services that are not
easily visible and often neglected during decision making process.
The break-up of Soviet Union and consequent land management reforms were followed by
rapid pasture degradation such as loss of edible grass, decline in yield and increase of
weed cover. Newly established pasture management mechanisms are still weak and lack
focus on sustainability. High altitude pastures are used intensively and the rapidly growing
number of livestock threatens the long-run sustainability.
This is first study in the Kyrgyz Republic and one of few in Central Asia that assessed value
of pasture ecosystem services and used cost-benefit analysis. The report looked into three
sites with high altitude natural pastures: Chon Aksuu, Kyzyl Unkur and Son Kol. All three
sitesare important for the local economy and provide number of essential ecosystem
services. During the study household surveys were conducted and data from local
authorities was collected.
Chon Aksuu delivers fodder, tourism revenues timber and non-timber products. At the same
time carbon storage and sequestration form considerable share of the monetary value.
The cost-benefit analysis and developed scenarios demonstrate that the value of carbon is
crucial in making positive decision about the future pasture investment.
At the second site – Kyzyl Unkur – main ecosystem services are drinking water, firewood,
non-timber products and fodder. High poverty rates and practically full reliance on walnut
forest and surrounding pastures make local population highly vulnerable to the changes in
health of the ecosystem. The developed scenarios show that the investment into better
pasture management and tourism lead to more sustainable use and financially worthwhile.
Pastures of Son Kol have country-level significance because of fodder, cultural monuments,
tourism and biodiversity. However, the business as usual leads to further pasture
degradation and threatens local livelihoods. The alternative land use scenarios reveal that
the better pasture practices lead to sustainability and higher yields.
Further research could be improved by including the values of non-market services such as
cultural value and biodiversity.
The study shows that that pasture degradation can be solved but all range of ecosystem
services has to be taken into account. The complex interrelationships within pasture
ecosystem has to be deal with greatest care and attention.

Urban green spaces (UGS) provide multiple ecosystem services to city residents and are often their only places to spend time in a natural environment. Rapid urbanisation poses difficult choices for city planners who frequently decide to prioritise built infrastructure over retaining or enhancing green spaces, not least because the value of green spaces is rarely recognised in policy and planning processes. This is particularly true in developing countries which face rapidly growing populations and trade-offs between the growing demand for built infrastructure and access to nature. We address the value of public UGS using both a monetary approach and a non-monetary approach. A Contingent Valuation (CV) survey was used to elicit householderś willingness-to-pay (WTP) for three different scenarios to enhance public UGS provision in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Scenarios were based on ongoing public debates on how to address the degradation and loss of existing park areas and on current plans to build new parks. The same survey also employed the Nature Relatedness (NR) scale, which measures individual cognitive attachment to nature, as a non-monetary valuation approach. Our findings showed that a high attachment to nature does not necessarily lead to higher WTP for improved provision of public UGS as WTP is constrained by household characteristics such as income, education and household size. We concluded that monetary valuation techniques could potentially underestimate the value attached to UGS by some population groups (e.g. rural migrants and pensioners) that attach great importance to UGS but whose values are not reflected in a high WTP. Thus, we argue that the assessment of the value of UGS would benefit from combining monetary and non-monetary approaches under various institutional contexts; and that this would be particularly important for cities in developing countries.

Urban green spaces (UGS) provide multiple ecosystem services to city residents and are often their only places to spend time in a natural environment. Rapid urbanisation poses difficult choices for city planners who frequently decide to prioritise built infrastructure over retaining or enhancing green spaces, not least because the value of green spaces is rarely recognised in policy and planning processes. This is particularly true in developing countries which face rapidly growing populations and trade-offs between the growing demand for built infrastructure and access to nature. We address the value of public UGS using both a monetary approach and a non-monetary approach. A Contingent Valuation (CV) survey was used to elicit householderś willingness-to-pay (WTP) for three different scenarios to enhance public UGS provision in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Scenarios were based on ongoing public debates on how to address the degradation and loss of existing park areas and on current plans to...

ABSTRACT Air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels in developing counties is a global challenge due its climate change and health effects. Dirty fuel and air pollution have become a serious issue in many Central Asian countries. This article studies the factors that affect household decisions to transition from dirty energy to clean modern fuels using panel data from Kyrgyzstan. The article argues that the choice of fuel depends on a number of endogenous and exogenous factors. Contrary to the conventional wisdom of the ‘energy ladder’ hypothesis, high income does not lead to a full switch to modern fuel, but rather facilitates the transition to consumption of energy from multiple fuel sources. Factors that increase the chances of full fuel transition are education and access to gas. By contrast, the number of elderly family members and size of the house negatively affect the transition to clean energy use.