According to the Draft Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On the State Program for the Implementation of the Strategy 'Uzbekistan-2030' in the "Year of Environmental Protection and "Green" Economy," it is proposed to prohibit the activities of new industrial enterprises in the cities of Tashkent and Nukus, as well as regional centers and gradually relocate existing enterprises outside the cities.

Relevance

Today, industrial enterprises in cities not only burn hydrocarbon fuels but also have a negative impact on the environment by producing ecologically hazardous products. For example, in 2023, the total level of pollution emissions amounted to 1.8 million tons, of which 1.0 million tons (57 percent) were from vehicles, and 800,000 tons (43 percent) from industrial and manufacturing enterprises. In the republic, in 2023, 7,036 production enterprises generated 125.6 million tons of industrial waste.

Additionally, the use of coal and fuel oil has increased in the sectors of the economy, especially in centralized heating during the fall and winter periods. For reference: in 2019, 3.9 million tons of coal were used  and in 2023, the figure increased to 11 million tons. Over the past two years, the use of fuel oil has increased nearly fivefold. As a result, the population is experiencing various chronic diseases, including asthma, allergies, chronic bronchitis  and others.

Implementation

According to the proposal, starting from May 1, 2025, new projects in the cities of Tashkent, Nukus, and regional centers are planned to be prohibited in areas such as:

-asbestos and cement production, slag and dross;

-leather and tanning, poultry factories;

-burning any type of coal without high-efficiency dust and gas treatment systems;

-plants for ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, glass containing toxic impurities, toxic chemicals;

-enterprises for waste processing and incineration, classified as Class I and II in terms of danger.

Also, starting from May 1, 2025, new projects that harm the atmosphere in Tashkent, Nukus, and regional centers will not pass the state environmental expertise. Furthermore, by October 1, 2025, proposals will be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers regarding the phased relocation of existing capacities in these sectors, as well as high-energy-consuming industries, from the cities of Tashkent and Nukus and regional centers.

International Experience

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal classifies asbestos waste (dust and fibers) as hazardous waste. The Convention was adopted in Uzbekistan in 1996. In Germany, based on the experience of transforming the Ruhr region, coal-based enterprises were relocated from densely populated areas to industrial zones, resulting in a 60 percent reduction in air pollution.

In China, due to the sharp rise in air and water pollution levels in the 1990s and 2000s caused by the impact of metallurgical and chemical enterprises in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, the practice of relocating production facilities outside megacities began in 2010. For example, the Shougang Group steel plant was relocated 100 km from Beijing to Hebei Province. Such mechanisms have also been used to improve the ecological situation in cities like Almaty and Jakarta.

What are the benefits?

The prohibition of new projects with a high environmental impact in Tashkent, Nukus  and regional centers, along with the phased relocation of 168 existing industrial enterprises, will help ensure the environmental sustainability of the regions.

New jobs and infrastructure facilities (roads, electricity, gas and water supply) will be established in areas hosting industrial enterprises. The ban on operations of enterprises not equipped with high-efficiency dust and gas purification systems will help reduce atmospheric emissions.

In addition, all enterprises using coal as an energy source will implement dust and gas purification systems, develop programs for recycling industrial waste and utilizing it for producing construction materials, adopt bioenergy technologies for poultry farms, and install wastewater treatment systems for tanneries.

The Draft of the Presidential Decree has been published on the Internet portal of the National Strategy “Uzbekistan-2030” for public and expert discussion until January 22. You can actively participate by submitting your suggestions and comments through the online portal uzbekistan2030.uz and the Telegram bot @Ekologiya_yili_bot! The draft is available in Uzbek and Russian.