Worsening of the Aral Basin Crisis: Can There Be a Solution?

The Aral Basin environmental crisis in Central Asia has been described as the world's largest man-made disaster. This paper examines the causes of the Aral Sea crisis and examines some of the major nontechnical and planning issues that need to be overcome if the crisis is to be effectively managed. It argues that present plans are inadequate for the complexity and size of the task and highlights the need for an effective integrated river basin plan based on a sound planning process. It also draws attention to a significant number of nontechnical issues that will need to be addressed before any plan can become effective.