Akramjon Nematov: climate resilience in Central Asia requires practical cooperation

A regional dialogue entitled “From scientific knowledge to evidence-based climate policy: strengthening regional cooperation for climate resilience in Central Asia” is being held in Tashkent on 8-9 October.

The event is organized by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) jointly with the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRS).

The event brought together representatives of relevant German federal and research institutions, government and research institutions from the Central Asian countries, and leading international organizations and development partners, including the European Union, the OECD, the United Nations Environment Programme, the OSCE, and other international partners.

The dialogue focuses on strengthening cooperation within the framework of the “Green Central Asia” Initiative, launched by the German Federal Foreign Office in 2020 together with the countries of the region, bringing together scientific expertise, public policy and regional cooperation.

One of its key outcomes has been the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for Central Asia, developed and endorsed by the five countries of the region. The initiative to adopt the Strategy was put forward by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Fifth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, held in Dushanbe in September 2023.

Addressing the participants, Akramjon Nematov, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, noted that the climate agenda is of direct practical importance to Uzbekistan. Climate change can no longer be viewed solely as an environmental issue: it directly affects water, food and energy security, agriculture, economic resilience and the population’s quality of life.

According to him, Uzbekistan fully recognizes the scale of these challenges. This is why a fundamental transformation of state policy has taken place at the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev: environmental, climate, and water-related issues have evolved from a set of separate sectoral concerns into a cross-cutting priority within the national development strategy, shaping approaches to the economy, water management, agriculture, and territorial development.

Mr. Nematov also highlighted the significant strengthening of this policy’s institutional foundations. Environmental rights have been enshrined in the Constitution, while a long-term strategic planning system has been established. The National Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Ecology and Climate Change reports directly to the President. Scientific and professional capacity is also being developed, including the Central Asian University for Environmental and Climate Change Studies.

In his assessment, these transformations represent a shift in the very model of governance: from responding to consequences to preventing risks; from fragmented sectoral solutions to an integrated ecosystem-based approach; and from predominantly administrative methods to policies grounded in data, science, technology and economic incentives.

Mr. Nematov particularly emphasized the approach of the President of Uzbekistan, according to which climate resilience begins above all with effective transformation at the national level. Thus, prior to 2017, water-saving technologies were applied across only 19,000 hectares; by early 2026, their coverage had reached 2.6 million hectares, or 60 percent of irrigated land, while annual water savings had reached 2.5 billion cubic meters. Over the past five years, around 6 GW of solar, wind and hydropower capacity has been commissioned, bringing the share of green energy in power generation to 30 percent. Under the “Yashil Makon” initiative, more than 1 billion trees and shrubs have been planted, while the level of greening increased from 8 percent in 2020 to 14.3 percent in 2025. More than 2 million hectares have also been covered by afforestation efforts on the dried seabed of the Aral Sea.

As Akramjon Nematov stressed, these figures are important not in themselves. They demonstrate Uzbekistan’s consistent transition towards a more resource-efficient and environmentally sustainable development model based on the rational use of water resources, the expansion of clean energy, ecosystem restoration and the reduction of climate-related risks.

At the same time, the ISRS representative emphasized that Uzbekistan’s climate policy is proactive not only at the national level, but also at the regional and global levels. The rationale behind this approach is clear: climate, water, and environmental risks do not recognize national borders, and the effectiveness of national reforms therefore depends largely on countries’ ability to develop joint solutions.

In Central Asia, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has consistently proposed precisely such practical mechanisms. At the Samarkand Climate Forum, proposals were put forward to launch a Regional Programme for the Implementation of Water-Saving Technologies, establish an annual “Green Belt of Central Asia” campaign, and create in Tashkent a Secretariat of the European Union’s “Water – Energy – Climate Change” Initiative to mobilize financing, technologies and expertise. The President also called for expanded cooperation with the EU under the Copernicus Programme to ensure continuous satellite monitoring of glaciers and early assessment of risks to mountain ecosystems.

At the same time, Uzbekistan continues to elevate the region’s climate agenda to the global stage. At COP29, the President of Uzbekistan proposed establishing an International Centre for Climate Loss and Damage Assessment, developing under the auspices of the United Nations a Declaration on Commitments to Ensuring the Health and Environmental Security of River Ecosystems, establishing a Regional Genetic Resources Bank, and creating an Alliance of Global Climate Capitals, with its first forum to be held in Tashkent.

According to Mr. Nematov, Central Asia has now reached a stage where the main task is no longer so much the development of new framework documents as the practical implementation of the agreements already reached. In other words, the regional climate agenda needs to move from developing approaches to their systematic implementation.

In this regard, Mr. Nematov outlined six practical areas of action:

First, to establish an interoperable regional system of climate and hydrometeorological data based on comparable methodologies, information exchange and joint risk monitoring.

Second, to translate the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy into a portfolio of concrete projects with clear timelines, designated implementing institutions and measurable indicators.

Third, accelerate joint programs on water conservation, cryosphere monitoring, drought management, and early warning systems, while advancing the “water – energy – food – ecosystems” nexus.

Fourth, to make human-capital development and scientific cooperation a regional priority by expanding joint educational programs and academic mobility.

Fifth, to develop climate, green, and blue finance mechanisms, while more actively engaging the private sector, development banks, and international financial institutions in implementing water- and climate-related projects.

Sixth, to strengthen Central Asian countries’ ability to develop coordinated positions where their interests converge, while respecting each country’s national priorities.

As Akramjon Nematov noted, this is where the practical value of “Green Central Asia” lies: it brings together science, public policy, international expertise, and investment opportunities, enabling a transition from understanding risks to joint solutions, and from solutions to projects and investment.

UzA