Air Pollution - The Times Of Central Asia

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transport policy

Bishkek Proposes Curbs on Private Car Use

Bishkek authorities are proposing a shift in the capital’s transport policy by prioritizing public transport and gradually reducing reliance on private cars. A draft presidential decree prepared by the Bishkek mayor’s office has been released for public consultation. The proposal calls for a long-term transport development program, the creation of an interagency coordination headquarters, upgrades to road infrastructure, new traffic management schemes, and continued investment in the city’s municipal public transport network. Its stated objective is to reduce chronic traffic congestion and improve air quality in the capital. According to the explanatory note accompanying the draft, Bishkek’s road network is no longer capable of handling current traffic volumes. When the city was originally planned, its streets were designed to accommodate around 50,000 vehicles. Today, more than 400,000 vehicles are registered in Bishkek alone, with thousands more entering the city each day from surrounding districts and neighboring regions. Opportunities to expand the road network remain limited. The city has substantially modernized its public transport fleet in recent years. Since 2022, Bishkek has purchased new buses and electric buses. Around 1,300 municipal buses and electric buses now operate on city routes each day, carrying approximately 800,000 passengers. Despite these improvements, more than 500,000 residents continue to rely on private cars. The authors of the draft argue that the current use of road space remains inefficient. A single bus can carry up to 50 passengers while occupying only slightly more road space than several private cars, which generally carry between one and four people. The draft decree does not introduce immediate restrictions on motorists. Instead, it establishes a legal framework for future measures aimed at reducing private vehicle use in the city’s most congested areas. Under the proposal, the mayor-led headquarters could launch pilot traffic restrictions, paid parking schemes, and priority lanes for public transport. Its decisions would be binding on state and municipal bodies. The proposed reforms follow last year’s controversy over Bishkek’s decision to phase out its trolleybus system. After dismantling the overhead power lines, the authorities planned to convert the remaining trolleybus fleet into electric buses. However, the conversion tender failed twice after attracting no bids, forcing the municipality to consider alternative approaches. The decision to abandon the trolleybus network drew criticism from environmental organizations and some transport experts. City officials had also previously considered restricting traffic based on odd and even vehicle registration numbers but abandoned the proposal following public criticism. Reducing traffic is also viewed as an important tool for tackling air pollution. According to official estimates, between 600,000 and 700,000 vehicles operate in Bishkek each day, including those entering the city from elsewhere, while more than half of the vehicle fleet is over 15 years old. Road transport accounts for around 30% of air pollution in the capital. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Bishkek’s air pollution had once again become the subject of parliamentary debate, with lawmakers attributing the worsening environmental situation primarily to the rapid growth in vehicle numbers, an aging vehicle fleet,...

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.

Air Pollution

EBRD Backs $69 Million District Heating Upgrade in Bishkek to Tackle Air Pollution

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has arranged a financing package worth up to $69 million, or €64 million, for two district heating utilities in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek. The package will modernize heating infrastructure and reduce winter air pollution in one of the world’s most polluted cities. The package will support Bishkekteploset (BTS) and Bishkekteploenergo (BTE), two municipal heating companies serving a city of more than one million people. Under the agreement, the EBRD will provide sovereign-backed loans totaling up to $29.5 million, including $18.6 million for BTS and $10.9 million for BTE. The financing will be complemented by up to $24.5 million in concessional funds from the Green Climate Fund through its Green Cities Facility, alongside investment grants totaling $11.6 million. The EBRD will also allocate an additional $3.6 million for project implementation support and an equal opportunities action plan. The investment will allow BTS to modernize pumping stations, including through the installation of small-scale solar photovoltaic systems. BTE will introduce large-scale district energy heat pumps, the first such installations in Central Asia. It will also upgrade boiler houses with renewable energy components. Both companies will modernize district heating networks and install supervisory control and data acquisition systems. They will also purchase specialized service vehicles. The projects will reduce reliance on fossil fuels and support cleaner heating solutions. They are also expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions in Bishkek. Bishkek joined the EBRD Green Cities program in 2024 and adopted an environmental action plan that identified modernization of the city’s heating system as one of its most urgent priorities. The Kyrgyz capital currently relies heavily on the coal-fired Bishkek Thermal Power Plant for both electricity and heating. The plant generates about 13% of Kyrgyzstan’s electricity and supplies heat and hot water to nearly two-thirds of the city. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, emissions from the aging power plant account for about 15% of Bishkek’s air pollution. Air pollution remains one of Bishkek’s most pressing environmental challenges, particularly during winter, when widespread coal burning for household heating pushes pollution levels sharply higher. The city regularly ranks among the world’s ten most polluted urban centers in IQAir’s global air quality index.

Regional Ecological Summit

Regional Ecological Summit in Astana Produces Ecology Declaration and Broader Regional Agenda

Central Asian leaders have adopted the Astana declaration on ecology and sustainable development, giving the Regional Ecological Summit in Astana a formal political outcome while a wider package of biodiversity, climate, and pollution initiatives takes shape around it. Kazakhstan’s environment ministry says the five heads of state adopted the document, titled “Ecological Solidarity of Central Asia,” during the April 22 to 24 Summit. The declaration sets out a common regional position on several of Central Asia’s biggest environmental pressures. According to the ministry summary, the text calls for closer coordination in climate negotiations, glacier preservation, the mountain agenda, biodiversity, chemical and waste management, plastic pollution, air quality, land degradation, and desertification. It also presents the declaration as a contribution to ecological sustainability, inclusive economic growth, and a sustainable future for the region. Water runs through the document, but the language is careful. The declaration welcomes work on an interstate program to conserve the Caspian Sea and expresses concern about declining water levels and the shallowing of lakes in Central Asia. It also notes Kazakhstan’s proposal for a possible International Water Organization within the United Nations system, but stops short of endorsing its creation. The summit’s outcome does not rest on a single document. On April 24, the United Nations Environment Programme said the Astana meeting had launched new regional partnerships on circular economy and glaciers, while countries established common approaches on biodiversity, climate action, and air pollution. UNEP also said a regional climate and ecology investment portfolio was set up to widen access to international finance for environmental projects. A separate biodiversity track had already produced its own result earlier in the week. On April 22, UNDP in Kazakhstan said Central Asian countries had signed a regional declaration on biodiversity conservation during a high-level plenary session in Astana. According to UNDP, the document envisages an umbrella programme and action plan, as well as a regional resource mobilization plan to be presented at COP17 in Armenia. Outside confirmation of the main declaration has also become clearer. EFE reported on April 22 that the five Central Asian republics had approved the Astana Declaration of Ecological Solidarity, linking it to Tokayev’s focus on water security, the Aral Sea, and the Caspian. Put together, the Astana summit now looks like a broader regional attempt to turn shared ecological pressure into a workable political agenda. The summit’s next test will be whether these declarations and partnerships are followed by funding, coordination, and cross-border implementation.

Air Quality

Air Quality Report Shows Central Asia’s Air Getting Rapidly Worse

Tajikistan ranked as the world’s third most polluted country in 2025, according to the latest World Air Quality Report by IQAir. The report analyzed PM2.5 concentrations across 9,446 cities in 143 countries and territories. PM2.5, fine particulate matter measured in micrograms per cubic meter, is widely used as a key indicator of air pollution. The five most polluted countries in 2025 were Pakistan (67.3 µg/m³), Bangladesh (66.1 µg/m³), Tajikistan (57.3 µg/m³), Chad (53.6 µg/m³), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (50.2 µg/m³). Only 13 countries and territories met the World Health Organization annual PM2.5 guideline of 5 µg/m³, including Australia, Iceland, and Estonia. Overall, 130 out of 143 countries exceeded the guideline. Kazakhstan records the cleanest air in Central Asia, but still had the 29th worst air globally in 2025, a very significant decline from 71st in 2024. Uzbekistan has the region's dirtiest air, and the 10th worst worldwide, while Kyrgyzstan is only slightly better, in 19th. Like Kazakhstan, both countries have fallen down the rankings since they were last put together in 2024. Kyrgyzstan had been in 41st place, while Uzbekistan has fallen from 19th. Turkmenistan, which was also among the 30 most polluted countries in 2024, was not included in the 2025 report due to a lack of available data. Karaganda in Kazakhstan is Central Asia's most polluted city, ranking 26th globally in 2025. The city recorded an annual PM2.5 level of 72.6 µg/m³, more than ten times the WHO guideline. Other heavily polluted cities in the region included Fergana (30th, 68.8 µg/m³), Dushanbe (51st, 57.3 µg/m³), Guliston (100th), and Tashkent (225th, 39 µg/m³). The report also noted that the world’s 25 most polluted cities in 2025 were all located in India, Pakistan, and China, with India accounting for three of the top four.

Air Quality

Uzbekistan Launches “Clean Air” Project to Cut Pollution by 2030

Uzbekistan has approved a nationwide environmental initiative aimed at improving air quality and reducing pollution over the next five years, according to a presidential decree published on March 25. The decree outlines the implementation of the “Clean Air” national project for 2026-2030. The program sets a target of reducing harmful emissions into the atmosphere by 10.5% and strengthening environmental monitoring across key industrial sectors. Under the plan, enterprises classified as having a significant environmental impact will be required to install automatic monitoring systems, as well as dust and gas purification equipment. The initiative also aims to reduce the number of days when air pollution levels, particularly fine particulate matter (PM2.5), exceed national safety standards. Special attention is being given to the capital. Authorities have extended the mandate of a government commission tasked with addressing environmental challenges in Tashkent until March 1, 2027. The body has also been elevated to a national-level commission, reflecting its expanded scope of responsibility. From April 1, 2026, a moratorium will be introduced on the creation of new industrial zones in Tashkent, with no specified end date. The measure is intended to limit additional pressure on the city’s already strained air quality. The decree also introduces stricter environmental requirements in the construction sector starting June 1. Developers will be required to equip building sites with environmental monitoring systems linked to a centralized database managed by the Ecology Committee. In addition, construction sites must install online surveillance cameras to ensure compliance with environmental standards. Companies found to be in violation of environmental regulations will face penalties through a rating system within the national “Transparent Construction” platform. Environmental impact assessments will also become mandatory for all major construction and urban planning projects. New building designs exceeding specified size thresholds must allocate at least 30% of land area to green spaces, reflecting a broader effort to expand urban greenery. In recent years, air quality in Tashkent has deteriorated significantly. Experts attribute the problem to industrial emissions, seasonal dust storms, rapid urban development, and the loss of green spaces. Despite a formal ban, an estimated 49,000 trees have been cut down since 2019. According to the Ministry of Ecology, PM2.5 levels in the capital frequently exceed World Health Organization guidelines. During severe smog episodes in early 2024, pollution levels reached up to 22 times the recommended annual limits, posing serious risks to public health.