Water resources management is not simply a matter of environmental security. Especially for developing countries such as those in Central Asia, the number one priority for their governments and citizens is undoubtedly development. Therefore, such prevention of water conflicts must be placed in the context in which we must at the same time ensure the development of these countries. We should therefore also be aware of the economic structure of these countries. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay A special feature of Central Asian economies is that they have a simple economic structure and is largely dependent on exports. This is not good news for a healthy and sustainable economy, because an export-driven GDP means that one country's economy is highly dependent on the needs of another country, so if something happens, its economy could collapse too. Over 60% of Kazakhstan's exports are related to hydrocarbons, making it one of the top ten oil-producing countries in the world. As for Kyrgyzstan, almost half of its exports are associated with gold, as seen from the fact that its main trading partner is Switzerland. This is followed by the textile industry (especially cotton production), slightly above 20%, and agricultural products, which account for 15% of total exports. Another upstream country, Tajikistan, also almost mirrors Kyrgyzstan in its export proportions. Rich in mines, especially aluminum, around 60% of the country's GDP is associated with metals, but cotton and agriculture are also in tow, as important pillars of the country's economy. For Turkmenistan, history repeats itself. Over 60% of the country's exports come from natural gas and related products, and the cotton industry also takes up about 20% of total exports. Among the five countries, only Uzbekistan has a comparatively more balanced economy, but most also depend on exports of cotton, oil, rare metals and agricultural products. Apparently, we need to take into account the economic structures of these countries while analyzing the key problem of water conflicts. First, cotton is an important industry in Central Asia, which intensifies water competition. Cotton production is not expensive, but it definitely uses a huge amount of water in the process. To produce 1 kg of cotton more than 20,000 liters of water are needed; equivalent to a single t-shirt and a pair of jeans, while also polluting the water with chemicals, threatening the ecosystem and the health of riparian residents. Therefore, for upstream countries such as Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, uncontrolled (/laissez-faire) cotton production will cause severe water pollution or lack of water resources, while downstream countries will undoubtedly suffer. Secondly, all these simple economic structures of Central Asian countries are highly dependent on water. From the textile industry to the mining industry, through the processing of agricultural products, hydrocarbon resources and metals, all these industries consume an enormous amount of running water. Furthermore, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are rich in metal ores, but do not have gas and oil. . During Soviet rule, they relied on their downstream neighbors, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, to provide them with free energy sources. However, after independence, to ensure energy security, both countries built huge dams on the two main rivers and began investing in hydropower as an energy alternative. Yes.