Published on: 2026-07-06
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –
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Tashkent, July 6 /Xinhua/ — The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, has approved a comprehensive strategy for combating desertification, developing the desert economy, and implementing the principles of a “green city” for 2026-2030. This was reported on Monday by the presidential press service.
The new program is aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change in a region where about 80 percent of the territory consists of desert and semi-desert zones. According to official data, by 2025, the country’s greening level has already increased to 14.3 percent compared to 8 percent in 2020, including through the creation of more than 2 million hectares of forest plantations on the dried bottom of the Aral Sea.
The approved plan provides for the restoration of forests over an area of 1.27 million hectares and the development of the “desert economy” concept. This approach involves the development of arid lands for nurseries of drought-resistant plants, cultivation of halophytes, and pastoral livestock farming to create new sources of income.
At the regional level, the strategy provides for the activation of environmental cooperation in Central Asia. In particular, it is planned to expand the activities of the specialized regional research center, increase the number of joint projects under the “Green Shield” program, and develop a long-term regional strategy until 2040.
In the field of urban planning, a pilot project called Green Samarkand has been approved by the document. According to the target indicators, by 2030 it is planned to reduce air pollution in Samarkand by half, switch public transport to electric traction, create a protective “green belt” around the city extending 102.7 km, and also relocate 8 large industrial enterprises of a high environmental hazard category outside the city limits.
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