Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans.
Jacques Cousteau
The Aral Sea, located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was once a thriving ecosystem. It supported fishing communities and provided fresh water for millions.
However, in the 1960s, the Soviet Union diverted rivers feeding the Aral Sea to irrigate cotton fields. This caused the lake to shrink rapidly. By the 2000s, most of the water was gone, leaving behind a desert of toxic dust and abandoned fishing villages.
The loss of water led to extreme weather changes, increased diseases, and economic collapse in the region. Efforts to restore parts of the lake have had limited success, but much of the damage is irreversible.
The Aral Sea crisis shows the dangers of unsustainable water use. It is a reminder that human actions can have long-term consequences on nature and communities.
Vocabulary Bank:
- Ecosystem – Ekosistem
- Irrigation – Irigasi
- Toxic – Beracun
- Desertification – Penggurunan
- Sustainable – Berkelanjutan
Soal:
What lessons can modern societies learn from the Aral Sea disaster?
