How much water does nature need? A Gazeta report from five protected areas of the Aral Sea region, where the future of entire ecosystems depends on water

In 2025, Uzbekistan codified the concept of environmental flow, a guaranteed water allocation for natural ecosystems.

Gazeta visited protected areas of the Aral Sea region to see how water scarcity is reshaping lakes and tugay forests and why environmental flows may be the key to their survival. ...