The Sarimay solar power plant, owned by the company Voltalia, has been launched in the Khorezm region of Uzbekistan. This station has a capacity of 126 MW and provides electricity to over 60,000 residents, according to the French Embassy in Uzbekistan.
The opening of this power plant represents an important example of cooperation between France and Uzbekistan in the field of energy. The project implementation received support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
The French Embassy noted the high speed of development and commissioning of the facility, as well as the attention paid to the environmental and social aspects of the project. Construction of the Sarimay station began in May 2024.
The international company Voltalia, which specializes in renewable energy, implemented this project. The French Embassy congratulated the Voltalia teams, as well as the Uzbek and international partners of the company, on the successful launch of the joint venture.
South African municipal councils taking office will face increasing pressure related to managing risks in water supply, food security, healthcare, and the economy caused by the expected El Niño summer.
The country is approaching an 'ideal storm' in the fourth quarter. Firstly, there are elections in November, which could destabilize effective governance in several municipalities, many of which are already on the brink of collapse. The formation of new political alliances and the need to induct new councillors may take months to restart management mechanisms.
This puts many municipalities in a vulnerable position regarding the developing climate phenomenon of El Niño. Seasonal forecasts indicate reduced rainfall and increased temperatures in many parts of South Africa from October 2026 at least until March 2027.
The new group of councillors and mayors will begin their work, some of whom cannot read or write, which may lead to the threat of El Niño to national well-being not being perceived with due urgency.
Recently, the author participated as a panelist at the Nedbank Sustainable Development and Climate Leadership Conference at GIBS. The main problem associated with El Niño is not only drought but also the probability of a complex climate stress event. South Africa has demonstrated an ability to relatively well withstand periods of below-average rainfall, provided that dams, groundwater, soil, and municipal systems have sufficient reserves.
The danger arises when the rainfall deficit accumulates. Since all forecasts point to reduced precipitation, there is a risk of 'Day Zero' scenarios in some regions of the country, as well as isolated cases of extreme rainfall and flooding in other parts of South Africa.
How will the new mayors and their councillors react to these vulnerabilities while trying to settle into their institutional duties simultaneously? Reduced rainfall negatively affects dams and agricultural viability. Food security becomes a serious problem.
Agriculture will be affected through several simultaneous channels: less rain and higher temperatures, decreased soil moisture, and heat stress lead to increased irrigation needs, which reduces yields. The Ministry of Agriculture has issued warnings about crop failure, livestock mortality, irrigation restrictions, as well as pests and diseases under hot and dry conditions.
Ultimately, all this will lead to the issue of inflation. Drought does not necessarily have to destroy the entire harvest; if it reduces production sufficiently, prices will rise. Poorer households will spend a larger portion of their income on food.
Thus, the climate shock turns into a socio-political shock. However, the story does not end there. We tend to view drought as a lack of rain. Extreme heat will be a more immediate threat than drought itself. The consequences of El Niño include rising temperatures. Heat represents a direct physiological stress.
SAWS warns that if the expected rainfall deficit materializes, more frequent severe heatwaves are likely. El Niño and anthropogenic warming will lead to heat-related illnesses and deaths, reduced productivity, increased demand for cooling, strain on hospitals, increased water consumption, livestock losses, crop damage, and increased fire risk.
Power stations will face pressure from two sides: reduced water availability and increased electricity demand. In the fourth quarter of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027, we are facing not 'just another drought,' but an event related to heat, energy, and water stress.
This is what makes complex climate events so dangerous: they are not limited to one sector. Fires, especially in informal settlements, will become a major secondary disaster. Higher temperatures, dry vegetation, low humidity, and dry soils create conditions where wildfires can spread rapidly. This requires much more attention.
The poorest residents of South Africa will experience the consequences of El Niño most acutely, as people most dependent on informal livelihoods, agriculture, livestock farming, municipal services, and suffering from food and water shortages are particularly vulnerable. Besides being an environmental phenomenon, El Niño is also a distribution crisis.
With high levels of unemployment and poverty, poor households cannot afford to buy bottled water, install tanks, solar panels, improve insulation, or stockpile food before price increases. Their huts made of wood, zinc, and iron will turn into ovens in the coming summer. Infants, young children, and the elderly will be particularly susceptible to heat stress and dehydration.
New councillors will have to address issues of rainfall deficits, water restrictions, agricultural losses, rising food prices, heat stress, and increased demand for state aid. In many cases, this will lead to political conflicts over the distribution of scarce resources. They will quickly realize that understanding our climate crisis is an act of good governance. Future municipalities must demonstrate how well they manage scarcity.
How much money will be needed to respond to El Niño? What will it cost South Africa if it does not prepare before the consequences hit? We cannot rely on reactive spending. The government must invest in sound preventive spending. It must fund its ability to survive in a more unstable climate regime.
As preparation for a major climate event, we need to ask a more uncomfortable question: are candidates running for municipal office ready to manage the economic and social consequences that may accompany El Niño? Climate competence is now a more pressing qualification for political and public leadership.
The active construction phase has begun in the Kungrat district of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan, for a wind power plant with a capacity of 1.5 GW and its connection to the unified energy system of Uzbekistan. This project is valued at 2.6 billion US dollars and is being implemented in collaboration with the Saudi company ACWA.
The project aims to increase the volume of renewable energy generation. The development of wind energy in the region is supported by the vast desert territories and the high wind potential available in Karakalpakstan.
As part of the project implementation, it is planned to lay over 1400 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines, construct three 500 kV substations, and modernize two existing substations.
The General Director of the project, Bekzod Zaripov, noted that the construction of the 1.5 GW wind power plant is accompanied by the development of necessary grid infrastructure. The project is expected to create about 1000 new jobs intended for local residents.
Furthermore, under the localization program, approximately 750 million US dollars are planned to be allocated for the production of goods and the provision of services by local enterprises. The project is designed to strengthen the links between the energy and industrial sectors, investments and employment, as well as introduce new technologies and expand local production.
Overall, this project is expected to increase the electricity generation capacity in Karakalpakstan, support the development of regional infrastructure, attract investment, and create new jobs.
In the Kashkadarya region of Uzbekistan, farming methods aimed at soil conservation, including zero tillage technology (No-Till), are being introduced as part of the FOLUR-Uzbekistan project. This project is implemented with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and is financed by the Global Environment Facility.
Training for trainers was conducted at the Southern Research Institute of Agriculture in the city of Karshi. Twenty researchers and agricultural specialists studied the basic principles of soil-conserving agriculture. Topics covered included no-tillage sowing, preservation of crop residues, crop rotation, and efficient water use.
Following the training, these specialists will transfer the acquired knowledge to farmers and assist in establishing field schools in the region.
A field demonstration was also organized at the Javli Bobo Ugli farm in the Kamashi district. Wheat Nushkent was sown over an area of 40 hectares using a specialized zero tillage seeder. The field was not plowed; instead, seeds were placed directly through the layer of straw and crop residues left after the previous harvest.
Project specialists demonstrated the process of setting up and operating the seeder, paying special attention to planting depth and uniform seed distribution. Zero tillage technology minimizes mechanical impact on the soil, promotes moisture retention, reduces erosion, and decreases fuel and field preparation costs. The condition of the demonstration plot will be monitored throughout the entire growing season, and specialists will assess seedling emergence and other indicators.
