My Journey to Muynak: Lessons from the Aral Sea

On the morning of August 27, 2025, the first day of the National Conference of Youth and Children on Climate Change in Uzbekistan (LCOY Uzbekistan 2025), we departed from Nukus and headed towards Muynak. For many of us, this was more than a simple field trip. It was a journey into history, memory, and responsibility. Muynak—once a vibrant port city—today stands as a living testimony to one of humanity’s most devastating ecological disasters: the drying of the Aral Sea.

From a Sea to a Desert

The Aral Sea was once the world’s fourth-largest inland lake, stretching over 68,900 square kilometers in 1960. It provided livelihoods for thousands of fishermen, supported industries, and shaped cultures across Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. But within just a few decades, massive irrigation projects diverted the waters of the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers, causing the sea to shrink dramatically. By 2020, less than 10% of its original size remained (Orol dengizi, n.d.).

The consequences have been profound. Villages once located on the seashore are now dozens of kilometers away from water. Fish species vanished due to extreme salinity, and Muynak’s canneries—once famous across Central Asia—shut their doors. The exposed seabed turned into the Aralkum Desert, releasing toxic dust and salt storms into the atmosphere, affecting not only Karakalpakstan but also distant regions, even glaciers in the Pamirs and the Arctic.

Walking through the Ship Graveyard

Arriving in Muynak, we walked across the Ship Graveyard. Enormous rusted ships stood abandoned on the sand, as though time had frozen. For the young participants of the conference, many of whom had only read about the Aral Sea in books, this sight was overwhelming. Once these vessels were symbols of prosperity, carrying tons of fish every year; now they are monuments to ecological loss.

Our guide, environmentalist Yusup Kamalov, gave us an introduction to the Aral Sea’s story, explaining not just the ecological collapse but also the human dimension: health problems, forced migration, and loss of cultural heritage. Listening to his words while standing beside lifeless ships created a powerful contrast between past abundance and present emptiness.

Learning from Museums and Memories

The next part of the visit took us to the Aral Museum and the Old Fish Cannery. There, we saw black-and-white photographs of bustling ports, fishermen proudly holding their catch, and workers in the factory halls. Exhibits told the story of how Muynak was once a town full of life, where families built their futures around the sea.

But the museum also displayed documents and testimonies from the 1970s onward, when the water began to recede. Entire generations saw their lives collapse as fish disappeared, industries shut down, and the desert advanced. Locals’ personal stories—of hunger, illness, and migration—reminded us that climate change is never only about nature; it is about people’s lives and dignity.

Youth reflections and activities

The field trip was not just passive observation. The conference organizers planned interactive sessions—brainstorming, Q&A discussions, and storytelling with local residents (Concept Agenda, 2025). Many of us sang songs, shared reflections, and even engaged in group activities to imagine solutions for the future.

Standing in Muynak, we realized that we are not only visitors but also witnesses of history, entrusted with carrying its lessons forward. For children and youth, the message was clear: climate change is not a distant threat, it is already shaping lives, economies, and ecosystems.

Hope in the Midst of Loss

Despite the haunting silence of the ships, Muynak is not only a place of despair. Projects to stabilize the northern part of the sea, such as the Kokaral Dam in Kazakhstan, have shown that ecosystems can begin to recover when action is taken. Fish stocks have returned to parts of the Northern Aral, giving hope that at least partial restoration is possible.

For us as youth, Muynak became a place of commitment. The lessons of the Aral Sea urge us to promote sustainable water management, push for renewable energy, and advocate for policies that protect children, women, and vulnerable groups who bear the brunt of climate disasters.

A Call to Action

As the buses carried us back to Nukus in the evening, the sunset over the endless desert reminded us of both fragility and resilience. The Aral Sea’s story is one of mistakes but also of second chances. If the global community listens, learns, and acts, other regions may avoid a similar fate.

For me, the visit to Muynak was more than a trip—it was a turning point. Walking among the ships, I felt the weight of history and the urgency of action. The Aral Sea’s tragedy must never be repeated, and it is our generation’s responsibility to ensure that.