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UN General Assembly Adopts Uzbekistan-Initiated Resolution on Forest Management

The UN General Assembly last week adopted Uzbekistan's proposed resolution on “Fostering sustainable forest management, including afforestation and reforestation, in degraded lands, including drylands, as an effective solution to environmental challenges.” The resolution is based on the concept of Uzbekistan’s nationwide program, Yashil Makon (Green Space), which aims to preserve and restore biodiversity through the greening of urban and rural areas. Launched by Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in November 2021, the Yashil Makon initiative allows the planting of one billion trees and shrub saplings across the country over five years. The resolution reflects the key proposals on effectively countering climate change and combating land degradation, voiced by Mirziyoyev during the 78th session of the General Assembly and the 28th UN Climate Change Conference. The resolution discloses the economic, social, and environmental benefits of sustainable forest management and tree planting, emphasizing their contribution to increasing biodiversity, mitigating the effects of climate change and air pollution, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty eradication and food security. The resolution gives specific recommendations to UN member states regarding tree planting to preserve and increase biodiversity using nature-saving and ecosystem methods.

Central Asia Uzbekistan Environment Environment Uzbekistan International Affairs Uzbekistan Business & Economy Business & Economy Uzbekistan International Affairs

Uzbekistan and UAE to Build Modern Wastewater Facility

The United Arab Emirates company “Sustainable Water Solutions” (SWS) is to cooperate with Uzbekistan on the construction of a modern wastewater facility in Tashkent. The project includes building a facility with a daily capacity of 1.0 million cubic meters of water and a 42-kilometer wastewater collector in the territory of the Surum mahalla, an administrative centre in Tashkent's Lower Chirchik district. Regarding the scheme, Ahmed Al-Shamsi, head of the SWS company announced: “Our next initiative will prevent water wastage in Uzbekistan. The capacity of the joint facility will be 1,000,000 cubic meters per day at the first stage and 1.5 million cubic meters later. The estimated project cost is one billion dollars." According to reports, the quality of wastewater service provided to 1.5 million people will increase, and more than 500,000 residents and over a hundred enterprises and organizations will be provided with centralized wastewater service. The construction of a 42-kilometer collector allows efficient collection and transportation of wastewater for further treatment. SCADA, a data management and collection system, and GIS,a geographic information system, will be introduced, ensuring effective monitoring and management of cleaning and transportation processes. As a result of this large-scale project, 10 million kilowatts of electricity will be saved, and the sanitary-epidemiological and ecological situation in the Sergeli, Bektemir, and Yangi Hayot districts of Tashkent city will be improved.

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Greek Reports: Captain of Boat Carrying Kazakhs Says Hydra Fire Was His Fault

The captain of a luxury boat that was carrying Kazakh tourists when it was linked to a forest fire on the Greek tourist island of Hydra in June has taken responsibility for the blaze, according to Greek media. While some circumstances surrounding the fire remain unclear, the statement by the captain undercuts suspicion that initially fell on the group of tourists including Daniyar Abulgazin, who has shares in multiple Kazakh companies and is one of Kazakhstan’s wealthiest business executives. Abulgazin, who rented the boat, had denied wrongdoing in connection with the fire and said he had left Greece as previously scheduled on June 22 after speaking with “representatives of the Greek authorities.” The captain, who is in detention and faces arson charges, said he launched fireworks, one of which landed in the forest and started the wildfire, protothema.gr reported last week. The acknowledgement reversed his earlier account that no fireworks were set off from the vessel. The Greek media outlet did not identify the captain. A dozen other crewmembers were arrested after the fire. Most were released on bail. Prosecutors also filed charges of complicity in arson against the Kazakh passengers, Greek media have said. But the captain’s new testimony, delivered early this month, exonerates “the other crew members and the foreign multimillionaire charterers of the yacht,” ekathimerini.com reported. Abulgazin had referred to “incorrect and misleading” media reports, expressing regret about the fire and promising to cooperate with the Greek investigation.

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World Bank Considers Loan for Tajikistan’s Rogun Hydropower Plant

Tajikistan's Deputy Minister for Finance, Yusuf Majidi, has announced that the World Bank will consider financing the development of the Rogun hydroelectric power plant. According to him, the bank can allocate $650 million for this project in September this year. $250 million has been allocated as preferential loans; starting in 2025, the station's construction will be financed by other investments. Majidi specified that the construction of the hydroelectric power plant (HPP) is also financed by the Islamic Development Bank and Arab funds; according to preliminary data, this is about $550 million. When the Rogun HPP reaches full capacity, about 70% of the electricity produced will be exported to other Central Asian countries. According to the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD), financing the Rogun HPP is one of the main risks to Tajikistan’s budget and debt sustainability. The EFSD notes that a possible increase in the cost of hydropower construction could reduce funding for other critical infrastructure projects and social spending. Rogun is located 110km from Dushanbe on the Vakhsh River, and is the largest in the region. Its construction began in 1976, but it was destroyed after the collapse of the USSR. Later, Tajikistan continued work on the construction of hydroelectric power plants at its own expense and with the help of international funds and organizations, and so far, two of the six units with a capacity of 600 MW provided for in the project have been put into operation. The third is scheduled for 2025.

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Solar-Powered Irrigation System Launched Outside Tashkent

A new drip irrigation system that runs on solar power has been introduced in the Akkurgan district outside Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent. The irrigation system is being funded by the European Union, and is part of a project between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Uzbek Ministry of Agriculture. Increasing water scarcity is a serious challenge in rural Uzbekistan. Many families rely on their backyard gardens to grow vegetables, and better irrigation will help rural communities to become more economically sustainable. The system includes a water pump that extracts water from a vertical well at a depth of 180 meters, supported by solar panels. The system irrigates 0.8 hectares of land, benefiting 10 households and saving nearly 60% of water compared to traditional irrigation methods. The excess electricity generated by the solar panels is sold to the State Electricity System, and the revenue is used to manage and operate the irrigation well and the drip irrigation network. Mr. Wim Riepma, Head of Cooperation of the European Union's Delegation to Uzbekistan, commented: "This solar-powered drip irrigation system not only addresses water scarcity but also paves the way for more sustainable agriculture in Uzbekistan. Most importantly, it directly benefits local families by increasing their access to electricity and water for irrigation, thus enhancing food security and incomes."

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Bishkek’s Iconic Elm and Poplar Trees Suffering From Beetle Infestation

The larvae of the longhorn beetle (Aeolesthes sarta), commonly known as the woodcutter beetle, are destroying green spaces in Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek. The beetle appeared in the city ten years ago, but biologists have explained that its population has recently increased to worrying levels. The situation is being aggravated by the shortage of irrigation water in Bishkek, a result of faulty irrigation facilities. Trees in the capital are beginning to dry out, and their immunity to the effects of larvae infestation is weakening. The longhorn beetle lays its larvae in the bark of a tree, and as it matures, it eats the tree from the inside. The larvae's favorite trees, the elm and poplar, are the most common trees in Bishkek. Unlike other pests, the beetle cannot be irradicated with chemical treatments. Infested spaces must be destroyed completely. The Bishkek Zelenkhoz municipal enterprise, responsible for maintaining the city's green spaces, has reported that 90% of all adult elm trees and half of all poplars in the capital have become infected with longhorn beetle larvae. "Trees with signs of infestation remain green, and do not die immediately. After a while, the top dries up, and then the entire trunk follows. The death process takes about five years," Yuri Borvinok, head of the laboratory for woody and bush plants at the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, told The Times of Central Asia. Kyrgyz authorities are having difficulty controlling pests because of current laws. In Kyrgyzstan's populated areas, chemical treatment of greenery is prohibited to prevent harm to people, and burning plant debris such as leaves and branches is also forbidden. "When we used to burn plants and foliage, these measures deterred the miner moth, woodcutter beetles, and other pests; today, nothing prevents the mass spread of beetles," Borvinok said. Municipal officials are looking for an effective method to control the beetles. "Some trees we cut down, take out of town, and burn there. In addition to the elm trees, the woodcutter attacks poplars. There is a danger that it will move to other trees. This beetle can not be taken down by anything. That's why we are planting new species, linden, maple, and acacia," said Zhanybek Zhumaliyev, head of the Zelenkhoz enterprise's planning department.