History of the center
State environmental expertise in Uzbekistan has evolved from a specialized mechanism for controlling specific types of pollution into a modern environmental assessment system aimed at preventing adverse impacts before the commencement of economic activities.
Establishment of the System
State environmental expertise was established in Uzbekistan in 1980 as part of the Environmental Pollution Control Center under the Committee for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Control. At the initial stage, its activities were primarily focused on air protection issues.
With the establishment of the State Committee for Nature Protection, a comprehensive environmental expertise system began to develop, covering the assessment of the impact of economic activities on various components of the environment.
An important milestone was the adoption in 1992 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Nature Protection,” which established state environmental expertise as a mandatory environmental protection procedure preceding decisions on the implementation of economic activities.
It was during this period that environmental impact assessment (EIA) began to develop actively, based on the principle of early identification and prevention of potential environmental consequences of a project.
In 2000, the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Environmental Expertise” was adopted, and in 2001, Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 491 established the procedure for conducting state environmental expertise.
A unified system of expert divisions was subsequently formed, comprising a central body and territorial structures in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the regions, and the city of Tashkent.
Development of State Ecological Expertise
As the country's economy developed, the scale and complexity of projects subject to environmental assessment increased.
State environmental expertise became an important part of project design, environmental regulation, and decision-making concerning the siting and implementation of industrial, infrastructure, and other major facilities.
The number of projects reviewed increased significantly. While in the late 1980s and early 1990s the number amounted to only several dozen projects, by 2007 the number of reviewed facilities had exceeded 12,000.
The materials submitted for environmental expertise covered major industrial and mining facilities, oil and gas complexes, railways and roads, main gas pipelines, tunnels, bridges, reservoirs, and water management facilities.
Particular attention was paid to the introduction of low-waste and resource-saving technologies, reduction of emissions and discharges, rational use of natural resources, and reclamation of disturbed lands.
As a result of environmental expertise, many project decisions were substantially revised.
For example, during the review of the Kyzylkum Phosphorite Complex, a decision was made to carry out the beneficiation and purification of raw materials directly at the deposit. This made it possible to reduce the transportation of barren rock, decrease waste generation at processing facilities, and use part of the materials for the reclamation of quarry areas.
Environmental requirements were also taken into account in the design and modernization of the Bukhara Oil Refinery, the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex, the Kungrad Soda Plant, and other major industrial facilities.
Environmental Regulation and Methodological Development
The development of environmental regulation became an important area of work.
Within the state environmental expertise system, unified approaches were developed for establishing standards for pollutant emissions, wastewater discharges, waste generation, and waste disposal.
At the same time, the methodological framework was strengthened and the professional qualifications of experts were improved. Specialists participated in seminars, internships, and practical training sessions. The quality of expert opinions was analyzed, and recommendations were developed to improve expert procedures.
This made it possible to gradually establish a professional environmental assessment system and unified approaches to the review of project documentation.