President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on priority nationwide environmental and ecological protection projects for 2026–2030 on March 23. The presentation covered initiatives aimed at improving air quality, expanding green zones in cities and regions, enhancing environmental education and culture, and strengthening scientific and practical foundations for combating desertification.
It was noted that cases of air pollution exceeding established norms are currently observed in Tashkent, Navoi, Fergana, Chirchik, and Termez. Key factors contributing to air pollution include industrial growth, widespread use of carbon-based fuels, an increase in the number of vehicles, natural factors, and insufficient control. By 2030, main goals have been set to reduce volumes of pollutant emissions into the atmosphere, increase the share of emission capture at industrial facilities, decrease harmful emissions from transport, and reduce the number of days with PM2.5 levels above norms.
The "Clean Air" project places special emphasis on energy and industry. Tax incentives and financial stimuli are planned for enterprises producing a certain portion of their output using alternative energy, along with widespread implementation of automatic monitoring stations, filters, dust and gas cleaning equipment, and energy-efficient devices. Mandatory automatic monitoring posts integrated into a unified geoinformation system will be installed at industrial enterprises in Tashkent and adjacent areas. Compensation payments will be sharply increased for entities failing to comply with these requirements.
Environmental requirements will also be tightened in the construction sector. When designing new large-scale facilities, demands will include increasing greening levels, storing construction materials in enclosed conditions, discharging waste through special pipes and containers, fencing sites with protective barriers, and installing online surveillance cameras. Additionally, it is proposed to preserve "wind corridors," mandatorily consider environmental expertise conclusions in construction processes, and develop a master plan for managing the city's ecological and water resources.
Specific measures to reduce natural dust factors have been defined. These include creating a "green belt" around Tashkent, organizing "green walls" in Surkhandarya and Syrdarya to prevent dust storms, establishing artificial lakes and reservoirs, increasing the number of fountains in capital districts, and implementing practices for processing leaves into compost and mulch.
In the transport sector, separate directions for air protection have been outlined. Plans involve gradually tightening motor fuel standards, categorizing motor vehicles into ecological classes with "red," "yellow," and "green" stickers issued, linking technical inspections to environmental requirements, implementing programs to update old vehicles, and increasing the share of public transport. The goal is to reduce pollution volumes associated with road traffic, particularly improving air quality in the centers of major cities.
Under the nationwide "Eco-Culture" project, a new system integrating environmental education, science, and awareness is planned. It was noted that there is a shortage of specialists meeting international standards in this field, environmental consciousness and sustainable habits among the population are not yet sufficiently formed, and there is a deficit of personnel capable of implementing innovations and climate technologies in practice. Consequently, starting from the 2026/2027 academic year, "green technical schools" will be established in 14 regions, attached to the "Green University" system based on academic partnership. According to the project, the number of school and university students will increase annually, reaching 10,000 by the 2028/2029 academic year. New specializations such as environment and sustainable management, green economy, environmental engineering, climate change, desertification control, sustainable urban planning, and sustainable energy exchange will be opened in bachelor's and master's programs. A dual system combining theoretical knowledge with practice will be introduced into the educational process.
To enhance environmental culture among the population, plans include reviving the "10,000 Steps" initiative, launching the "Healthy Lifestyle" platform, and holding the GEF-8 assembly and the international "Eco Expo Central Asia 2026" exhibition in Samarkand. The presentation also reviewed a desertification control strategy project. It was highlighted that 70% of Uzbekistan's territory is in arid zones, with over 70% of land degraded. Deterioration of land resources causes an annual economic damage of $830 million. Due to the drying of the Aral Sea, 3 million hectares of land have become unusable, and 56% of the territory is affected by wind erosion. In response, it was proposed to establish a regional joint research center under "Green University." This center is expected to become the first scientific hub in Central Asia for desertification management. The center will include 15 specialized laboratories, implement digital land monitoring based on satellite data, GIS, and remote sensing technologies, form a genetic bank of drought-resistant plants, and improve soil chemical and physical analysis systems. As a result, a national system for forecasting and mapping desertification will be created, green coverage in the Aral Sea region and arid areas will be expanded, and models for sustainable pasture use and desert economy will be introduced.
The head of state approved the presented projects, emphasizing their importance for ensuring ecological sustainability, protecting public health, and improving urban and rural environments.
Source: kun.uz