New Ecological Initiatives and Sustainable Projects Discussed at TIIF 2026

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Within the framework of the Tashkent International Investment Forum, a series of meetings were held between the Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Environmental Issues and Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, Aziz Abdukhakimov, and the heads of international financial institutions and organizations. Main attention was paid to issues of climate resilience, the development of a green economy, combating desertification, and attracting investment into environmental projects.

One of the key events was negotiations with the President of the BRICS New Development Bank, Dilma Rousseff. The parties reviewed prospects for expanding cooperation in financing sustainable infrastructure projects, renewable energy, and adaptation to the consequences of climate change.

During the meeting, it was noted that in recent years Uzbekistan has been consistently implementing large-scale reforms aimed at forming a green economy and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. In this regard, partnership with international financial institutions possessing significant experience in supporting environmental transformations acquires special importance.

Aziz Abdukhakimov presented the priority environmental tasks of the country until 2030. Among them are the implementation of a program to plant one billion trees and shrubs, expanding the area of specially protected natural territories to 21 percent of the country's territory, creating dendrological parks in the regions, increasing the waste recycling level to 40 percent, as well as reducing the volume of polluting emissions.

Separate attention was paid to the development of environmental education and scientific research. In particular, international partners were presented with the ecosystem of environmental science formed around the Central Asian University of Environmental and Climate Change Studies (Green University), which unites relevant research institutes, centers, and a network of specialized "green" technical colleges.

Within the framework of the negotiations, projects on restoring degraded lands, countering desertification, and introducing climate-resilient water resource management methods were also discussed. Special interest was aroused by initiatives to introduce rainwater harvesting systems and modern water-saving technologies capable of increasing the efficiency of water resource use under increasing climate pressure.

A significant place in the program of meetings was occupied by questions of regional cooperation. During negotiations with the Executive Director of the Representation Office of the Organization of Turkic States, Balázs Hendrich, and the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Drought Prevention Institute of the Organization of Turkic States, Dr. László Őrlőci, the implementation of environmental initiatives of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, put forward at the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Shusha, was discussed.

In particular, the parties reviewed prospects for creating a Turkic Ecological Council with headquarters in Nukus, the region most affected by the consequences of the Aral Sea environmental disaster.

The participants in the negotiations paid special attention to issues of preventing droughts, land degradation, and sand and dust storms. The Uzbek side presented projects to create national and regional early warning systems for such natural phenomena, as well as plans to form a National Center for Climate and Hydrometeorology.

It is assumed that the new center will become a key platform for combining climate data, hydrometeorological information, and scientific research, which will increase the efficiency of climate risk management at both national and regional levels.

In addition, the parties discussed the possibilities of introducing modern technologies for remote sensing of the Earth, climate modeling, and drought monitoring, as well as the implementation of pilot projects in areas most vulnerable to desertification, primarily in the Aral Sea region.

Following the meetings, Aziz Abdukhakimov invited representatives of the Organization of Turkic States to take part in the Eco Expo Central Asia 2027 international exhibition, which will take place in Tashkent. Within the framework of the exhibition, it was proposed to create a specialized platform called the Desert Economy Startup Corner, designed to demonstrate innovative solutions and startups in the field of combating desertification, restoring degraded lands, increasing water efficiency, and developing a sustainable economy for arid territories.

The negotiations confirmed the growing role of Uzbekistan in shaping the regional environmental agenda and demonstrated the high interest of international partners in the joint implementation of projects aimed at ensuring sustainable development, adapting to climate change, and increasing the environmental safety of Central Asia.