Public Lecture “Heat Adaptation in Central Asia Through Household Cooling Choices”

On 25 April 2025, an online public lecture titled “Heat Adaptation in Central Asia Through Household Cooling Choices” took place. This event was organized by the Research and Training Department at the OSCE Academy as part of an ongoing collaborative research initiative with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the CAREC Institute, and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI). The lecture aimed to present findings on how household cooling choices, infrastructure, and power supply influence resilience in the face of increasing heatwaves caused by climate change.

Dr. Pal Dunay, Director of the OSCE Academy, welcomed participants and opened the event. Having studied Central Asia extensively, Dr. Dunay expressed his appreciation for the research's role in highlighting “energy issues and environmental issues” that profoundly impact society. He noted the visible effects of global warming, stating that “winters are shorter, summers are hotter,” and pointed out the significant decline in air quality in Bishkek due to insufficient energy management.

Hans Holzhacker, Consultant on Central Asia at the CAREC Institute, spoke on “Households’ energy behaviour”, providing the objective and background of the study. Reflecting on regional attitudes toward fossil fuels, Dr. Holzhacker noted that while “people know fossil fuels are unhealthy and not good for the environment, only a minority is actually ready to switch.” He also emphasized the importance of tailored policy: “In order to structure programmes by the governments you need to understand the household needs and the behaviour... and they need financial and technical support.”

Following him, Dr. Burulcha Sulaimanova, the Head of the Research and Training Department at the OSCE Academy, presented the research methodology and key empirical findings. She stressed the study's core aim: “Understanding these dynamics is the key to designing effective policies that support household adaptation to heat stress.” Her findings showed that “cooling degree days significantly increase the likelihood of adopting air conditioning, especially in urban and male-headed households,” while power outages lower the adoption rate of energy-intensive cooling options.

The last to conclude the presentation was Dr. Dina Azhigalieva, Senior Economist on Climate Change at the Asian Development Bank, who provided a set of policy recommendations. She highlighted the growing pressure on energy systems, pointing out that “power stability is important for the population to heat using technology like air conditioning, especially in hotter areas during these hot months.” Yet she also offered a hopeful solution: “The hotter it is outside, the stronger solar irradiation — so solar panels could provide more energy exactly when energy is needed.”

Dr. Indra Overland from NUPI also joined the session and underlined the broader relevance of the topic, stating, “Such a large part of the world's population lives in areas which are quite hot... and where cooling is going to be an important factor for energy consumption in the future.” Finally, Dr. Ayat Ullah, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, offered his reflections as an independent discussant. He praised the study for addressing “a critical research gap: what factors influence households in Central Asia to adapt to extreme heat amid climate change and unreliable access to electricity.”

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