Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan and Yale University have discussed cooperation in environmental science, monitoring and specialist training, the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change said.
The meeting between Aziz Abdukhakimov, presidential adviser on ecology and chairman of the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change, and Yale professor Daniel Esty took place on the sidelines of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya.
The parties explored cooperation in environmental policy, improvements to environmental monitoring and the use of international environmental performance indicators. They also discussed training a new generation of specialists in environmental protection and climate change.
One of the main topics was the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), developed with the involvement of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy. The index marks its 25th anniversary in 2026.
The latest ranking covers 177 countries assessed against 47 indicators. Uzbekistan ranked 121st with a score of 34.79 points.
Abdukhakimov said EPI results could serve as a guide for setting environmental policy priorities.
He identified air quality, waste management, water resources and biodiversity conservation as key areas.
He also stressed the need for a transparent environmental monitoring system based on reliable data to support informed decision-making.
The meeting included a presentation on environmental reforms in Uzbekistan. Participants noted that environmental protection had become a state policy priority, with institutional changes including the establishment of the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change.
Cooperation with Green University
The participants also discussed opportunities for cooperation through Green University, the Central Asian University for Environmental and Climate Change Studies.
The university is intended to serve as a regional platform for environmental research, education and innovation.
The parties considered involving Yale researchers in joint academic and research programmes. Possible formats include exchanges of academic staff and students, as well as research projects on environmental law, environmental data and sustainability indicators.
Other potential areas of cooperation include developing a system to assess the environmental performance of Uzbekistan's regions and potentially extending it to other Central Asian countries.
The discussions also covered improvements to national environmental reporting indicators and the development of expertise in green finance and corporate sustainability.
Following the meeting, both sides expressed interest in moving towards practical cooperation.
