Environment - The Times Of Central Asia

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Air Quality

Tajikistan Debuts Air Quality Website After Criticizing IQAir Report

Tajikistan has launched a website that monitors air quality in several cities around the country, whose capital, Dushanbe, has experienced severe pollution over the years because of vehicle emissions, fuel burning and other factors. The initiative follows objections from Tajik authorities to an international assessment that Tajikistan is among the most polluted countries in the world. The new website - https://airquality.meteo.tj – provides detailed information in Tajik, Russian and English, according to the meteorological office of the State Committee for Environmental Protection. It said on Monday that the data is based on six monitoring devices that have been installed in Dushanbe as well as one each in the cities of Kulyab, Vahdat, and Hisor. “This portal is the only source where the accuracy of air quality assessments in the Republic of Tajikistan is determined using global models,” the meteorological agency said. At around 9 p.m. on Monday, the portal reported that the air quality index at eight of the monitored locations was between 12 and 33, falling into the “good” range. The air quality index in the city of Kulyab was in the “moderate” range at 68, meaning the air is generally acceptable although there could be a risk for some people. However, IQAir, an air quality monitoring platform that is run by a Swiss company, reported slightly different results at the same hour. It said the air quality index in Tajikistan’s capital was 50, which also qualifies as “good” but is just short of the “moderate” 51-100 range. The Dushanbe rating for most of the day had been moderate. The Swiss company said its data for Dushanbe came from several contributors with air quality sensors, including the U.S. embassy and the European Union delegation. IQAir had said in a global report that Tajikistan was the third most polluted country in the world in 2025, based on annual average PM2.5 concentration, a measure of microscopic particles in the air. IQAir, which has worked on projects with the United Nations environmental agency, gathers data on pollution from governments, NGOs, and individuals. Tajikistan had objected to that report, saying it was not “completely” comprehensive. “It should be noted that in such rankings, a country’s indicators are often derived from a limited number of measurement points, especially those installed in areas affected by urban emissions and dust transport,” Tajikistan’s meteorological agency had said. “This means that drawing nationwide conclusions solely from a relatively small number of air-quality stations is methodologically incomplete.” Pollution in Dushanbe tends to be worse in the winter months because of heating, coal burning, and power plant emissions. However, the city lies in a valley. It is sometimes subject to summer pollution spikes when strong winds sometimes blow in dust and sand from local areas as well as neighboring countries, including Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

Climate Policy

Kyrgyzstan Adopts Central Asia’s First Framework Climate Law

President Sadyr Japarov signed Kyrgyzstan’s Law on Climate Activity on July 7, giving the country Central Asia’s first framework statute devoted to climate policy. The Jogorku Kenesh (parliament) approved the measure on May 20, and it takes effect on January 1, 2027. The Cabinet has six months from official publication to bring existing regulations into line. The law puts emissions policy and climate adaptation under one legal structure. It covers climate finance, carbon neutrality, research, professional training and technology transfer. It also provides a legal base for carbon units and a national registry. Separate rules will govern how emission cuts are recorded and verified. UNDP gave technical and expert support during its preparation. The regional first refers to the breadth of the framework. Uzbekistan passed a law on limiting greenhouse gas emissions in July 2025, and Kazakhstan already regulates carbon inventories, quotas and emissions trading through its Environmental Code. Kyrgyzstan has now put mitigation and adaptation in one dedicated statute, with provisions for finance and institutional duties. The law replaces a narrower statute adopted in 2007. That measure governed greenhouse gas emissions and removals, with a focus on state regulation, inventories and monitoring. It did not create a full legal base for adaptation or climate finance, and lacked the new law’s provisions on climate technology and education. MP Zhyldyz Egenberdieva set out the case for reform at a parliamentary committee meeting in April. The existing law “does not reflect current realities or practice,” she said. The new statute gives public bodies a basis for climate policy and low-carbon development plans. It also brings resilience measures into the same system. Kyrgyzstan signed the Paris Agreement in September 2016 and ratified it on February 18, 2020. Japarov announced a 2050 carbon-neutrality goal at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. The Cabinet approved a national carbon-neutrality concept in July 2025. The Coordination Council then approved updated climate targets and the country’s first biennial transparency report in September 2025. The law turns those international pledges and policy documents into a domestic framework. It defines state responsibilities and creates a base for climate finance. The practical detail will come through regulations, including standards for carbon accounting and the operation of a registry. The statute arrives as glacier loss puts pressure on water, farming and electricity supply. Mountain ice feeds rivers used for drinking water and irrigation. The same flows feed the country’s hydropower plants. At COP29 in Baku in November 2024, Japarov gave a stark figure. “Over the past 70 years, the area of glaciers in Kyrgyzstan has shrunk by 16%,” he said. TCA has previously reported on how continued glacier retreat could reduce river flows and deepen water shortages. Hydropower provides about 90% of Kyrgyzstan’s electricity, meaning drought and erratic runoff can cut generation when demand peaks. Floods and mudslides can damage roads and canals, as well as homes and crops. The law now makes adaptation a formal part of national climate policy. Coal-fired heating and traffic drive much of Bishkek’s severe winter smog. Vehicles...

Recycling

Kazakhstan Electronic Waste Project Targets Low Recycling Rates

Discarded phones, computers, and household appliances are becoming a growing waste problem in Kazakhstan, where only a small share of old electronics is formally collected and recycled. A 2023 UN-backed report estimated that the country generated 136,100 metric tons of electronic waste in 2019. Yet company reports recorded only 1,300 metric tons, suggesting that official statistics capture only a fraction of what is thrown away. Kazakhstan has now launched a project to improve collection, recycling, and monitoring. Officially unveiled in Astana on June 30, the initiative is backed by a $5 million grant from the Global Environment Facility. It will test household collection schemes in selected cities and provide technical support to recycling companies. The same assessment estimated that 11,900 metric tons, or 8.8% of the electronic waste generated in 2019, was collected and recycled. It projects that Kazakhstan’s annual electronic waste could more than triple to 432,000 metric tons by 2050. Discarded electronic equipment often contains hazardous substances that pose risks to human health and the environment if improperly handled. At the same time, obsolete electronics contain valuable metals, such as copper and nickel, that are frequently lost when devices are disposed of instead of being recovered and recycled. Kazakhstan’s Environmental Code prohibits electronic waste from being sent to landfills and requires it to be collected separately before being transferred to specialized companies. The KazWaste industry association estimates that about 19 businesses collect or process electronic waste in the country. However, the assessment found that household collection infrastructure and recycling technology remain limited. The project, formally titled “Promoting Circularity and Resource Efficiency Across the Electronics Life Cycle,” forms part of the Global Electronics Management Program. The wider initiative is led by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme and other international organizations. Ruslan Tukenov, director of the Waste Management Department at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, said “electronic waste management extends far beyond environmental policy alone,” adding that the issue also affects industrial policy and access to valuable raw materials. Vera Mustafina, executive director of the Sustainable Development Promotion Center, an environmental NGO, said the project would provide a platform for cooperation between government agencies, businesses, recyclers, importers, experts, and civil society organizations. “Such cooperation is essential if electronic waste is to become part of a modern circular economy rather than remain a hidden environmental problem,” she said. Alongside the household collection pilots, the project will help recycling companies improve sorting and safe handling, recover valuable metals, and introduce tools for identifying hazardous substances. It also aims to establish a more reliable system for tracking what happens to discarded electronics. The ministry’s announcement did not name the pilot cities, participating recyclers, or collection targets. These details should provide a clearer indication of whether the project can narrow the gap between Kazakhstan’s estimated electronic waste and the volumes recorded by its formal waste system.

Water Management

UN: Uzbekistan Makes Major Progress in Reducing Water Stress, but Challenges Remain

Uzbekistan has recorded one of the world’s fastest reductions in water stress in recent years, according to a new United Nations case study on the country’s water-management policies. The study points to efforts to conserve water, modernize irrigation, and expand regional cooperation. It also warns that Uzbekistan remains under pressure from climate change and rising water demand, while environmental damage linked to the Aral Sea disaster continues to affect the country. The study, prepared by UN-Water, examines how Uzbekistan managed to reduce water withdrawals while maintaining agricultural production and economic development. The report describes the country’s experience as particularly relevant for other water-stressed regions and countries seeking practical solutions to increasing pressure on freshwater resources. Water has long been one of Uzbekistan’s most strategic resources. Much of the country consists of arid and semi-arid landscapes, while agriculture remains heavily dependent on irrigation. The challenge has become even more urgent as climate change affects water availability across Central Asia. According to the UN report, Uzbekistan’s level of water stress increased steadily until 2017. Since then, the country has undertaken large-scale reforms aimed at reducing water consumption and introducing more efficient technologies. These efforts have produced measurable results. In 2017, Uzbekistan’s freshwater withdrawals reached 169% of its total renewable freshwater resources. By 2021, that figure had fallen to 122%. Although still above sustainable levels and considerably higher than the regional average of 69%, the reduction of 47 percentage points within four years represents one of the most significant improvements recorded globally under Sustainable Development Goal 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation. Data cited by the report show that total freshwater withdrawals declined from 58.9 billion cubic meters in 2017 to 42.5 billion cubic meters in 2021. Most of the reduction came from agriculture, where irrigation withdrawals fell from 53.7 billion cubic meters to 38.5 billion cubic meters during the same period. The UN attributes much of this progress to strong political commitment. According to the report, water management has become a national priority supported at the highest levels of government. UN-Water notes that water-efficiency goals have been incorporated into several development programs. These include the 2017-2021 Action Strategy and the New Uzbekistan Development Strategy for 2022-2026. The goals also appear in the Uzbekistan-2030 strategy. Among the government’s targets are the introduction of water-saving technologies such as drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and laser land leveling across all cultivated land by 2030. Authorities also aim to save up to 15 billion cubic meters of water annually, reduce irrigation losses by 25%, and fully digitize the management of 200,000 water intake points. The report identifies the expansion of water-saving technologies as one of the most important factors behind the country’s progress. Uzbekistan has combined financial incentives, soft loans, and subsidies with training programs for farmers and water specialists. According to UN-Water, this approach has helped reduce investment risks and encouraged wider adoption of modern irrigation systems. These measures are especially important because agriculture remains Uzbekistan’s largest water user. According to data from the...

Water Management

Tajikistan’s Electricity Losses Add Pressure to Water and Climate Agenda

Tajikistan’s aging power grid has become part of the country’s water and climate policy. The issue returned to the agenda of European Union-Tajikistan cooperation on July 3, when the two sides held a development cooperation meeting in Dushanbe. Energy and water were included in the Global Gateway agenda, while other talks addressed transport and energy infrastructure, the digital economy, water-resource management, and strategic raw materials. Tajikistan gets nearly 98% of its electricity from hydropower. That gives the country a low-carbon power mix, while tying electricity supply to river flows, snowmelt, reservoirs, and glacier change. Losses in the power system add pressure to that link. Each kilowatt-hour lost in transmission or distribution must still be generated. In Tajikistan, that usually means more water passing through hydropower plants or imported electricity when reservoir levels are low. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has focused on concessional funding for loss-reduction projects. After a May meeting between Energy Minister Daler Juma and Holger Wiefel, the EBRD’s head in Tajikistan, the energy ministry put the aim plainly: “The sides discussed attracting concessional financing for projects aimed at reducing electricity losses and improving the efficiency of the country’s energy system.” Officials also discussed private investment. Hydropower plants in the Zarafshan basin and solar plants were discussed as well. No new financing has been announced from those discussions. The immediate context is an existing EBRD- and EU-backed program for the distribution network. The Times of Central Asia previously reported in April that Tajikistan would receive nearly €49.6 million from the EBRD to reduce electricity losses. The package combines a €28 million loan with grants and technical assistance for work in nine branches of the distribution network in Sughd and Khatlon. First Deputy Finance Minister Yusuf Majidi said the project would reduce energy losses, replace worn-out infrastructure, install modern meters, and improve billing and revenue collection. The EBRD project file gives the total project cost as €43 million. It includes up to €28 million in EBRD financing and a €15 million EU co-investment grant through the Asia Pacific Investment Facility. The project targets automatic billing and metering systems in nine networks of the Bokhtar, Kulob, and Guliston branches of Shabakahoi Taqsimoti Barq. The bank says the project is aimed at reducing high inefficiency and technical losses in Tajikistan’s power distribution network. Distribution losses fell from 19.2% in 2024 to 15.6% in 2025. Even after that fall, more than 3.1 billion kWh were lost in 2025. Officials linked the reduction to smart meters and digital metering. President Emomali Rahmon put the issue in direct terms in a late 2023 parliamentary address. “Our electricity losses are about 4 billion kWh,” he said, adding: “If we prevent this, then there will be enough electricity for everyone.” That comment predates the 2025 improvement, but it still explains why loss reduction has become part of the environmental case for energy-sector financing. Cutting losses can free up electricity without new generation and reduce pressure on winter imports and hydropower reservoirs. Reuters reported...

Wildlife Conservation

Tajikistan Notes Conservation Success as Markhor Population Grows

Tajikistan’s population of markhors, a wild goat species known for its corkscrew-style horns, fell to an estimated several hundred in the 1990s, a tumultuous period marked by civil war following independence from the Soviet Union. Today, there are more than 7,000 markhors in the country, and their numbers are increasing, according to a survey conducted earlier this year. The population increase reflects years of conservation measures and local community efforts to protect the markhor, which is indigenous to mountain regions in parts of Central and South Asia. In 2014, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed the species as “Near Threatened” on its Red List, an improvement on its previous “Endangered” designation. At the time, the IUCN estimated the total markhor population, not just in Tajikistan, at around 5,700 “mature individuals,” excluding kids and yearlings. The markhor’s range includes parts of Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, according to the conservation group. This year’s figure of more than 7,000 markhors in Tajikistan was reported by Isfandiyor Shukurzoda, a senior official in the country’s Committee for Environmental Protection, at a news conference on Thursday, the state news agency Khovar reported. Tajik officials also reported the figure in May at the United Nations. The number was based on a census carried out in February and March “using modern equipment that accurately monitors the movement of animals and their behavior in their natural environment without human intervention,” the agency said. It added that preliminary data indicated “the population of this rare animal species is stable and growing.” Members of the state Forestry Agency and the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan were involved in the census, which was conducted in the Danghara, Shamsiddin Shohin, and Darvoz districts. Those districts are in southern Tajikistan, with some areas bordering Afghanistan. Years ago, there were reports of markhors being poached for meat, including by Afghan hunters who crossed the remote border. Wood cutting for fuel and livestock grazing have also damaged markhor habitats by shrinking and fragmenting them. In recent years, there has been a push to raise the international profile of the markhor, including by Pakistan, where it is the national animal. The U.N. General Assembly declared May 24 the International Day of the Markhor and marked the occasion for the first time in 2024. The term markhor means “snake-eater,” although the animal is a herbivore.