President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Reviews Proposals on Combating Desertification and Advancing Green Cities

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a set of proposals aimed at strengthening efforts to combat desertification, promoting the desert economy, and implementing green city principles. The initiatives are designed to enhance the country's resilience to climate change, land degradation, and growing water scarcity.

During the presentation, proposals for the 2026–2030 programme were discussed, including the creation and restoration of forests on 1.27 million hectares, the establishment of protective forest plantations, expanded greening of vulnerable regions, and the introduction of modern agricultural technologies on degraded lands.

Particular attention was given to the development of the desert economy as a new pillar of sustainable development. The proposals include expanding the cultivation of desert plants and halophytes, improving pasture productivity, promoting livestock production, ecotourism and scientific research, as well as establishing a regional bank of drought-resistant plants and seeds.

The President also emphasized the importance of strengthening regional cooperation among Central Asian countries to address desertification and land degradation. Proposed initiatives include expanding the activities of the Central Asian Regional Research Centre on Combating Desertification, increasing practical projects under the Green Shield programme, and developing a regional Desertification Strategy through 2040.

A separate part of the presentation focused on the Green Samarkand initiative, which aims to transform Samarkand into a model green city for Central Asia. By 2030, the project seeks to reduce air pollutant emissions, expand urban green spaces, promote electric public transport, introduce green building standards, establish a protective green belt around the city, and implement sustainable waste and water management solutions.

Following the presentation, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan approved the proposed measures and instructed the relevant authorities to ensure their effective implementation.

📌 Source: Official Website of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.