Proposals reviewed to combat desertification and to introduce green city principles

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation outlining proposals to combat desertification, develop the desert economy, and introduce green city principles.

Climate change, dwindling water resources, land degradation and desertification are becoming pressing environmental challenges for the entire region. These processes directly affect the sustainability of agriculture, food security, public health, and the economic development of territories.

Approximately 80 percent of the country’s territory consists of desert and semi-desert zones. Soil salinization, shifting sands, dust storms, and hot, dry winds pose a serious threat, particularly to the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, Navoi, and Khorezm regions, as well as certain districts of Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya, and Jizzakh regions.

The drying up of the Aral Sea has intensified these processes. The Aralkum Desert has formed on the dried seabed, and salt and dust carried into the air have spread across vast areas. In this regard, efforts to create green cover and plant saxaul and other desert vegetation are continuing systematically in the Aral Sea region. In recent years, more than 2 million hectares of new forest plantations have been established on the dried seabed of the Aral Sea.

Large-scale work is also underway under the nationwide “Yashil Makon” project. More than 1 billion tree and shrub seedlings have been planted nationwide, and green coverage has increased from 8 percent in 2020 to 14.3 percent in 2025. Efforts to expand green cover and establish protective forest plantations continue in the Aral Sea region, border areas, and arid districts.

During the presentation, proposals were reviewed to advance efforts to combat desertification to a new stage in 2026-2030. In particular, plans include creating and restoring forests across 1.27 million hectares and establishing 16,000 hectares of protective forest plantations in desert, mountainous, and foothill areas.

It was proposed to create green cover across 10,000 hectares in Surkhandarya region, establish an 84-kilometer “green wall” along the border areas of Syrdarya region, plant trees and shrubs using terracing in mountainous and foothill areas, and test modern agricultural technologies on degraded land.

The Head of State emphasized that desert areas should be viewed not only as an environmental challenge but also as a source of new economic opportunities. In this regard, the importance of developing the “desert economy” approach was noted, including creating sustainable sources of income on undeveloped and saline land, establishing seed production and nurseries for desert plants, cultivating halophytes, increasing pasture productivity, and expanding livestock farming, ecotourism, and scientific research.

It was proposed to establish nurseries for desert plants in Karakalpakstan, conduct scientific expeditions to the dried bed of the Aral Sea, develop pistachio plantations in the Babatag area using modern techniques, and expand halophyte gardens. Additionally, the idea of creating a regional bank of drought-resistant plants and seeds, as well as attracting international and private investment, was discussed.

During the presentation, particular attention was paid to strengthening environmental cooperation with Central Asian countries. It was emphasized that desertification and land degradation are challenges that know no borders, and that a unified regional approach, scientific cooperation, data exchange, and technology transfer are therefore important for addressing them.

In this regard, initiatives were proposed to expand the activities of the Central Asian Regional Research Center for Combating Desertification and Developing the Desert Economy, increase the number of practical projects under the regional Green Shield program, and develop a strategy to combat desertification through 2040.

Taking into account Samarkand’s historical and cultural heritage, its role on the Great Silk Road, its potential as a center of international tourism, its strategic geographic location, and its existing water and transportation infrastructure, plans are underway to transform the city into a model environmentally sustainable, climate-resilient, and modern “green city” in Central Asia.

In this regard, the Green Samarkand model, designed to ensure the environmental sustainability of cities, was reviewed during the presentation.

Under this model, Samarkand is expected to meet specific environmental targets by 2030. In particular, plans call for preventing the release of 51,200 tons of potential pollutants into the atmosphere, reducing PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 50 percent through the installation of dust and gas treatment equipment at industrial and energy facilities, cutting construction dust by 80 percent and vehicle emissions by 50 percent, halving the volume of waste sent to landfills, and increasing the average share of green areas in populated localities to 30 percent.

To implement the project, a Yashil Samarkand Project Office will be established in collaboration with the Samarkand Regional Hokimiyat and the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change. The office will coordinate, within a unified system, measures across urban planning, ecology, transportation, construction, tourism, industry, and municipal services.

A special environmental and urban planning regime will be introduced in Samarkand, making green building requirements mandatory for new and reconstructed facilities. These requirements will include the use of energy- and water-saving technologies, the introduction of waste-sorting and recycling systems, improved resource efficiency, and a ban on commissioning facilities that do not meet environmental standards.

In the transport sector, Samarkand is set to transition to an environmentally friendly mobility model. To this end, 50 modern, high-capacity electric buses will be procured, 150 new traffic lights will be installed at intersections, and measures will be taken to fully convert public transport and taxis to electric vehicles by 2030. In addition, a Park & Ride system will be introduced, green tourist zones that prioritize pedestrian movement will be created, and access for private vehicles to the city center will be gradually reduced.

To develop water and green infrastructure, at least four artificial lakes and reservoirs will be created in Samarkand, with at least one in each district center in the region. Ten new fountains will be built in Samarkand, and the infrastructure of existing fountains will be modernized. In addition, a 319-kilometer network of irrigation canals will be constructed and restored.

To create protective green infrastructure around the city, a 102.7-kilometer green belt covering 3,532 hectares will be established along the New Greater Ring Road. The belt is intended to reduce dust and hot-air flows, improve ambient air quality, create a natural protective zone around the city, and strengthen climate adaptation measures.

In the area of urban development, plans call for the creation of Green City Samarkand on 300 hectares of land. Residential, office, service, tourism, and public infrastructure facilities in this area will be built in accordance with international green city standards.

To reduce the environmental impact of industrial facilities, best available technologies, Zero Visible Emission systems, and digital environmental monitoring will be introduced in stages within the green industrial zone. Green belts will be established around existing industrial zones, and measures will also be taken to relocate eight Category I and II industrial enterprises that may pose a serious threat to public health outside the city.

In waste management, a system for sorting and recycling waste, and for reducing the volume sent to landfills, will be introduced based on the Zero Waste Samarkand principle. An information system for digital mapping, photographing, and recording illegal waste-disposal cases will also be launched.

In climate policy, carbon emission reduction targets for 2030 and 2035 will be developed for Samarkand, along with a Carbon Neutral Samarkand roadmap. In addition, the Green Samarkand Climate Finance Facility platform will be launched to finance green and climate projects, and the Green Samarkand Dashboard digital platform will provide open access to published results and monitoring data.

In tourism and biodiversity, the Green Samarkand brand, the Green Hotels Samarkand rating system, the Samarkand City Biodiversity Index methodology, the Urban Biodiversity Samarkand pilot project, and the Let Us Preserve Biodiversity volunteer program will be implemented. As a result, Samarkand will become a center for ecotourism, green investment, and sustainable urban development solutions.

Overall, the project will establish the organizational, financial, and practical foundations to position Samarkand as the Capital of Green Investment and Innovation in Central Asia.

The President approved the proposals and instructed the responsible officials to take appropriate measures to combat desertification, ensure the rational use of land and water resources, strengthen environmental requirements for urban development, and create a healthy environment for the population.

UzA