The World Bank is supporting climate resilience in Central Asia with a $38 million (£25m) fund.

It aims to strengthen the knowledge base on climate change risks and provide financing and technical assistance to rural communities for climate-smart investments in areas considered as priorities.

It is the first phase of the programme which will fund $9 million (£6m) in Tajikistan, $14 million (£9m) in Uzbekistan and $15 million (£10m) for regional activities.

According to the World Bank report, Central Asia is likely to experience more intense warming than the global average.

It added climate variability and change will impact key economic sectors, such as agriculture, energy and water and risk the livelihoods of rural populations, which account for 50% to 75% of the Central Asian countries’ populations.

Saroj Kumar Jha, Regional Director of the World Bank for Central Asia said: “Given inherent connections in agriculture, energy, land and water systems as well as similarities in climate change challenges across countries of Central Asia, a co-ordinated and integrated approach toward climate change is key to effectively mitigate risks and to strengthen climate resilience.”