Uzbekistan Environment - The Times Of Central Asia

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Water Management

Uzbekistan Allocates $49 Million to Prevent Water Shortages and Upgrade Canals

Uzbekistan will allocate 600 billion UZS (about $49 million) this year to improve water management and reduce the risk of shortages, according to a presidential decision issued on March 5. The funding will support additional measures aimed at using water resources more efficiently and preparing for potential water scarcity during the irrigation season. Under the plan, most of the funds will be directed toward modernizing irrigation infrastructure. The government intends to reconstruct and concrete 389 kilometers of irrigation canals that currently experience high levels of water loss. Officials say these improvements could help save an average of 206 million cubic meters of water and 26 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. The work is also expected to improve water supply for about 158,400 hectares of irrigated farmland across the country. According to the decision, 480 billion UZS (about $39.5 million) will be allocated specifically for concreting canals and irrigation networks, while the remaining 120 billion UZS (about $9.8 million) will fund other measures aimed at preventing water shortages and improving water management. The initiative will be implemented by the Ministry of Water Resources in cooperation with regional authorities, including the government of the Republic of Karakalpakstan and provincial administrations. The ministry, together with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, has been instructed to prepare a detailed list of priority canal reconstruction projects within one week and submit it to the Cabinet of Ministers for approval. Officials said the irrigation repairs will follow a “one canal - one system” principle, meaning priority will be given to irrigation networks connected to canals that have already been partially modernized or are currently undergoing reconstruction. The funds will be allocated from additional state budget revenues generated during the first quarter of 2026. Water management has become an increasing priority for Uzbekistan as the country seeks to modernize aging infrastructure and address growing pressure on water resources in agriculture. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that the government is also working on a long-term strategy to expand access to clean drinking water nationwide, with a goal of providing 85% of the population with reliable drinking water services by 2030, according to proposals developed by the Agency for Strategic Reforms.

Environmental Pollution

Uzbekistan Introduces Incentives for Major Industrial Polluters to Reduce Environmental Impact

Uzbekistan’s government has approved new measures aimed at encouraging large industrial enterprises to reduce their environmental footprint. Resolution No. 85 establishes regulations to incentivize environmental impact reduction efforts by industrial enterprises classified as Category I and Category II facilities based on their level of environmental impact. These categories include enterprises considered to have significant or moderate effects on the natural environment. Under the new framework, incentives will be introduced in two stages. At the first stage, an enterprise that installs a background air pollution monitoring station will be eligible for relief from previously assessed outstanding compensation payments for environmental damage. In addition, 50% of compensation payments allocated to the state budget for environmental harm will be refunded over a two-year period. At the second stage, if the enterprise installs dust and gas cleaning equipment as well as local wastewater treatment facilities within one year after commissioning the monitoring station, 70% of the compensation payments directed to the state budget will be refunded over two years. Enterprises seeking to benefit from these incentives must notify the Ecology Committee through Public Service Centers or via the government’s online portal. The committee will review submitted documentation within 15 working days and issue a formal conclusion on whether the enterprise qualifies for state support. The Times of Central Asia previously reported, that more than a dozen valuable trees were cut down at the construction site of the Ritz-Carlton Tashkent project in central Tashkent. Environmental damage in that case was officially assessed at 351,230,000 Uzbek sum (approximately $29,000), according to documentation cited by officials.

Environment

Environmental Damage Assessed at Ritz-Carlton Tashkent Construction Site

More than a dozen valuable trees have been cut down at the construction site of the Ritz-Carlton Tashkent in central Tashkent, according to Rasul Kusherbayev, adviser to the chairman of Uzbekistan’s Ecology and Climate Change Committee. Kusherbayev stated that the trees were removed from an area adjacent to the National Park in Tashkent. According to preliminary information, the felling was carried out in violation of the existing moratorium on cutting valuable tree species. He added that authorities are still determining whether additional trees were cut at the site. The land plot was reportedly allocated to Azerbaijani investors for the project. Kusherbayev also said that representatives of the construction company opposed attempts to film the tree cutting at the location. The project is being implemented by PD Estates, a joint venture linked to Azerbaijan’s Pasha Holding. The company is constructing a five-star, 150-room hotel under the The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company brand, with an estimated investment of $200 million. In connection with the case, official documentation has been completed, and environmental damage has been assessed at 351,230,000 Uzbek sum (approximately $29,000). According to Uzbekistan’s Unified State Register of Enterprises and Organizations, PD Estates was registered in November 2023. The company has an authorized capital of 251.3 billion Uzbek sum (approximately $20.6 million) and specializes in construction project development. Its founders are Pasha Development, which holds a 99% stake, and Pasha Holding, which owns the remaining 1%. The company is headed by Baris Battal. The Ritz-Carlton is a luxury hospitality brand and a subsidiary of Marriott International, headquartered in Maryland, United States. It operates more than 90 hotels worldwide. According to the publication Uzdiplomat, in August 2024 Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan agreed to implement seven joint projects worth a total of $520 million. Under that framework, Pasha Development planned to build a $200 million Ritz-Carlton hotel and premium residential complex in Tashkent’s Chilanzar district. On February 29, 2024, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a law strengthening penalties for illegal tree cutting. The amendments significantly increased fines for unlawful felling, introduced a mandatory requirement to plant new saplings in areas where trees have been removed, and extended financial liability to legal entities. Previously, only individuals and officials were subject to penalties. Under the new provisions, companies found guilty of illegally cutting valuable tree and shrub species face fines ranging from 100 to 300 times the base calculation amount, equivalent to approximately 34 million to 102 million Uzbek sum (about $2,800 to $8,400).

Water Scarcity

Central Asia and the Global Water Crisis: A Test of Governance and Cooperation

Water scarcity is rapidly transforming from a regional environmental concern into one of the defining global security challenges of the 21st century. UN-linked assessments estimate that around four billion people experience severe water scarcity for at least one month each year, and nearly three-quarters of the global population lives in countries facing water insecurity. Against this backdrop, Central Asia is not an exception but rather a concentrated example of global dynamics: climate pressure, population growth, and inefficient resource management. Regional initiatives, including proposals put forward by Kazakhstan, therefore have the potential to contribute not only to stability in Central Asia but to the development of a more coherent global water governance architecture. The Water Crisis as a Global Reality Water is increasingly regarded as a strategic resource on par with energy and food. Climate change is intensifying droughts, floods, and the degradation of aquatic ecosystems across all regions, from Africa and the Middle East to South Asia, Europe, and North America. Recent mapping and analysis by investigative groups and international media indicate that half of the world’s 100 largest cities experience high levels of water stress, with dozens classified as facing extremely high levels. Major urban centers, including Beijing, New York, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, and Delhi, are among those under acute pressure, while cities such as London, Bangkok, and Jakarta are also categorized as highly stressed. In this context, Central Asia is not an outlier. It is confronting today what may soon become the global norm. Central Asia: Where Global Trends Converge A defining feature of the current environmental situation is that factors beyond natural ones drive the water crisis. Experts increasingly stress that shortages are often less about absolute physical scarcity and more about outdated management systems, infrastructure losses, and inefficient consumption patterns. In this respect, Central Asia can be seen as a testing ground for global water challenges, where multiple stress factors converge. The region, with mountain peaks exceeding 7,000 meters, contains some of the largest ice reserves outside the polar regions. The Pamir and Hindu Kush ranges, together with the Tibetan Plateau, the Himalayas, and the Tien Shan, form part of what is sometimes referred to as the “Third Pole,” the largest concentration of ice after the Arctic and Antarctic. [caption id="attachment_13410" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] The White Horse Pass, Tajikistan; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] However, the pace of change is alarming. By 2030-2040, water scarcity in Central Asia risks becoming chronic. Glaciers in the Western Tien Shan, for example, have reportedly shrunk by roughly 27% over the past two decades and continue to retreat, posing a direct threat to the flow of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. These rivers increasingly fail to reach the Aral Sea in sufficient volume, while the exposed seabed has become a major source of salt and dust storms. [caption id="attachment_21928" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Moynaq, Karakalpakstan; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] Infrastructure inefficiencies compound the problem. Estimates suggest that in some systems, 40-50% of water can be lost in deteriorating...

Wildlife Conservation

Uzbekistan Strengthens Protection of Argali Sheep and Other Rare Species

Uzbekistan is intensifying conservation efforts in its protected areas, with new data indicating a stable population of its endangered wild sheep, the Kyzylkum argali, in the Nurata State Nature Reserve. According to the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change, the reserve is currently home to approximately 1,700-1,800 argali, also known as Severtsov’s wild sheep. Monitoring data collected in recent years show that the population has remained stable, highlighting the effectiveness of ongoing conservation and protection measures. The Kyzylkum argali is classified as an endangered species. It is listed in the national Red Book, included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, and protected under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which regulates international trade in vulnerable species. As a result, systematic monitoring of the population remains a priority for environmental authorities. Established in 1973, the Nurata State Nature Reserve is located in the Farish district of the Jizzakh region and plays a key role in preserving biodiversity in the Nurata mountain range. A total of 247 animal species have been recorded in the reserve, 31 of which are included in Uzbekistan’s Red Book. Specialists note that the stable argali population is closely linked to broader ecosystem protection measures, strengthened anti-poaching enforcement, and continuous scientific monitoring. Further progress is expected under the national development strategy “Uzbekistan - 2030,” which prioritizes environmental security, expansion of specially protected natural areas, and long-term conservation of rare plant and animal species. Officials state that protection measures for Red Book species will continue to be reinforced, with the aim of sustaining positive trends observed in Uzbekistan’s reserves, including the Nurata reserve, over the long term. The stable argali population in Nurata is increasingly cited by environmental authorities as an example of how consistent policy implementation and institutional oversight can contribute to preserving the country’s natural heritage.

Northern Aral Sea Rescue Project

Astana Accelerates Northern Aral Sea Recovery Plan

The Kazakh government plans to accelerate the second phase of the project to restore the Northern Aral Sea. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has instructed the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation to secure financing for the second phase of the project by the end of 2026. The goal is to increase the volume of water in the Northern Aral Sea by around 10–11 billion cubic meters over the next four to five years. History of Degradation and Early Restoration Results The Aral Sea, which straddles the border between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, began to shrink rapidly in the 1960s due to large-scale irrigation projects that diverted water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers for cotton cultivation and other agricultural needs. As a result of the sea’s degradation, the Northern Aral Sea separated in 1987 and has since been sustained largely through the construction of the Kokaral Dam. In 2012, the sea and the Syr Darya delta were added to the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. Since then, Kazakhstan has undertaken systematic efforts to restore the northern part of the former Aral Sea. Unlike earlier efforts to save the Aral Sea as a whole, Kazakhstan’s approach since the mid-2000s has been shaped by a narrower and more pragmatic premise: that partial restoration is environmentally and politically achievable, while attempts to revive the entire basin are not. The construction of the Kokaral Dam marked a turning point, demonstrating that targeted hydraulic interventions could stabilise water levels, reduce salinity, and revive fisheries in the northern basin, provided expectations were kept within achievable limits. The recovery has already enabled the return of small-scale fishing, improved local livelihoods, and reduced dust storms from the exposed seabed around Aralsk. This strategy reflected a deliberate acceptance that restoring the Northern Aral would come at the expense of the southern basin, prioritising long-term ecological viability over symbolic ambitions. Over the past several years, roughly 5 billion cubic meters of water have been redirected into the Northern Aral Sea basin, increasing its total volume to more than 23 billion cubic meters. This exceeds the targets set out in Kazakhstan's Water Resources Management Concept, which had forecast reaching 20.6 billion cubic meters by 2025, with that volume previously expected only by 2029. [caption id="attachment_24691" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Tastubek Bay, Northern Aral Sea; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] Infrastructure Plans and International Support With the support of the World Bank, Kazakhstan is considering raising the height of the Kokaral Dam by up to two meters and constructing a new hydraulic facility. These upgrades aim to increase both the volume and quality of water in the Northern Aral Sea, rehabilitate the Syr Darya delta, and reduce salt dispersion from the exposed seabed. The second phase of the initiative targets increasing the sea’s volume to 34 billion cubic meters. Bektenov has directed the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation to finalize technical preparations by mid-2026 and secure financing by the end of the year, including through international partnerships. The second phase...