Combined anthropogenic and climate pressures on the Kura River and their implications for water security, ecosystem sustainability and green economic resilience

Abstract

The Kura River is a strategic water artery for Azerbaijan, supporting drinking-water supply, irrigated agriculture, energy production and aquatic and riparian ecosystems. This study integrates two independently prepared 2026 research projects to examine how anthropogenic pressures and climate-related water stress interact and what these interactions imply for water security, ecosystem sustainability and green economic resilience. The first source project used desk research, official statistics, visual observation, teacher interviews and map-based comparison to assess human impacts on the river. The second combined desk research with an exploratory survey of 25 students and family members. Survey results showed that 92% considered the Kura important for Azerbaijan, 84% recognized ecological problems, 76% reported practicing water conservation and 96% supported stronger protection measures. The source materials consistently identified inefficient irrigation, untreated wastewater, solid waste, declining water availability, climate variability and riparian degradation as interconnected pressures. Recent official and scientific evidence supports the direction of these concerns, although one source-project estimate of a 35–40% flow decline could not be independently verified from the underlying data and is therefore not treated as a measured result. The analysis shows that water efficiency, pollution control, climate adaptation, riparian restoration and transboundary cooperation are not only environmental priorities but also elements of green economic resilience because they protect agricultural productivity, ecosystem services and the reliability of water-dependent livelihoods. Integrated river-basin management is therefore essential for aligning ecological protection with resource-efficient development.