Group Model Building with Rural Youth for Social Ecological Systems in Karakalpakstan

Robert Willard¹*, Muzaffar Ismailov¹

¹World Aral Region Charity, Inc.

Robert Willard Spitalgasse 2, Hof 4, Vienna, Austria
*Email: willardr37@univie.ac.at

https://doi.org/10.29258/CAJSCR/2026-R1.v5-1/14-34.eng

Thematic cluster: Sustainability

Type of paper: Research paper

June 08, 2026

Abstract

This paper describes the outcomes of a research aimed to assess the viability of Group Model Building (GMB) to catch the environmental degradation challenges in the Republic of Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan) from the perspective of rural youth. In terms of methodology and approach, the corresponding workshops were conducted with 53 high school students in Janbasqala Village to map local factors affecting water quality and access. The Social Ecological Systems (SES) framework was applied as the working theory. The study’s preliminary results indicate the need for a multi-faceted intervention to address current farming practices and water consumption trends. In this context, the GMB approach acted as a platform to train the youth in systems thinking and elicit their views regarding causal relationships and feedback loops contributing to their everyday challenges. The investigation was limited by the short time commitment allotted and the focus on only a youth cohort. The findings support the viability of using GMB for environmental education and capacity-building in resource-constrained rural settings. The social implications are that GMB fosters ecological awareness and cohesion among youth, helping them articulate pathways for community-based adaptation and innovation. The mapping indicates the general trends of solastalgia negatively affecting the SES adaptability. The study has uniquely utilized GMB as a participatory research method with youth in the Aral Sea Basin, mapping how local perceptions of water and land degradation can inform SES resilience strategies, as well as has explored how solastalgia may be a factor in human-nature relations.

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For citation: Robert Willard, Muzaffar Ismailov (2026). Group Model Building with Rural Youth for Social Ecological Systems in Karakalpakstan. Central Asian Journal of Sustainability and Climate Research, 5(1), 14-34. https://doi.org/10.29258/CAJSCR/2026-R1.v5-1/14-34.eng

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