Environment Program in Central Asia

The Resilient Landscapes Restoration (RESILAND) Program in Central Asia

Central Asia's drylands is a region confronting complex challenges related to land degradation, heightened vulnerability to climate-change driven extreme weather events, and natural hazards. It also is experiencing  increasing pressures from human activity such as converting land to intensified commercial agriculture, logging, and pasturing. Land degradation has vast economic costs for the region — on average, 6 percent of Central Asia’s GDP.

With border areas representing hotspots for land degradation and poverty, addressing regionality aspects and building resilience to fragility in border regions are crucial. This includes deepening dialogue on regional policies, regional knowledge generation and sharing, and supporting youth with access to jobs.

The region includes the Aralkum Desert, the former seabed of the Aral Sea. This vast area of 60,000 square kilometers is a major source of sand and toxic dust storms, which harm public health, degrade soil and air quality, and disrupt local economies. Uzbekistan has undertaken bold afforestation efforts, which already have restored 500,000 hectares of degraded land, achieving a Bonn Challenge milestone a decade ahead of schedule. The recently completed World Bank-supported $45 million Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program for the Aral Sea Basin Project (CAMP4ASB) for Central Asia contributed enhanced climate resilience, sustainable agricultural practices, strengthened regional cooperation and empowered communities in the Aral Sea Basin region. The project implemented 310 micro-projects on climate-smart agriculture, benefiting more than 50,000 people in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

World Bank Finance

Since 2019, The World Bank's flagship $256 million Central Asia Resilient Landscapes Restoration Program (RESILAND CA) in Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, and advisory services in Turkmenistan aims to build on this progress by addressing land degradation and bolstering resilience to climate change in targeted degraded transboundary landscapes and fragile border regions across Central Asia. Through strengthened transboundary cooperation in restoring landscapes and building climate resilience as a cornerstone of food, water, and energy security, RESILAND CA aims to restore degraded forests and pastures, reduce fragility of border areas, and improve livelihoods of border communities.

The $6 million RESILAND Kazakhstan, $52 million RESILAND Kyrgyz Republic, $45 million RESILAND Tajikistan, and $153 million RESILAND Uzbekistan national projects work toward tangible and sustainable results on the ground especially in border areas as these are most impacted by land degradation,  direct benefits to transboundary ecosystem, infrastructure, and communities living in the border areas. They serve as effective and replicable models at a global level for addressing national and regional land degradation, building resilience to climate change  and improving livelihoods. Specific interventions include:

• Implementing private-sector, community- and farmer-centered landscape restoration using drought-resistant species of trees and shrubs
• Monitoring climate-change induced hazards and investing in nature-based, green and grey solutions to mitigate impacts of mudflows and floods
• Promoting ecotourism and engaging communities in afforestation efforts, rehabilitating degraded natural habitats and protective infrastructure
• Supporting communities in diversifying economic activities to reduce pressure on pastures and forests.
• Establishing jointly managed transboundary protected areas and peace parks to preserve biodiversity across transboundary corridors and strengthen regional collaboration on landscape restoration.
• Developing skills with youth and creating jobs

Understanding that nature, landscapes, and ecosystems know no borders, RESILAND CA fosters regional collaboration across Central Asia's shared borders and ecosystems. This contributes to improved connectivity of natural resources and increased greenhouse gas mitigation and greater resilience to impacts of climate change. RESILAND also contributes to establishing jointly managed transboundary protected areas and peace parks to preserve biodiversity across transboundary corridors and strengthen regional collaboration on landscape restoration.

These interventions benefit transboundary ecosystems, infrastructure, and local communities while serving as global models for sustainable landscape restoration. Key interventions include drought-resistant tree planting, mitigating climate-induced hazards through nature-based and engineered solutions, promoting ecotourism and afforestation, diversifying livelihoods to ease pressure on natural resources, and establishing transboundary protected areas to preserve biodiversity and foster regional collaboration.

RESILAND Country Projects

Kazakhstan

The $6 million RESILAND Kazakhstan project is a pioneering effort to address land degradation through sustainable landscape restoration. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF,) and supported by PROGREEN, the project focuses on strengthening institutional capacities and piloting agroforestry initiatives, such as planting apple and pear orchards. These efforts target degraded productive lands and key habitats, addressing the country’s limited forest cover of just 4.7%. The initiative also supports the cultivation, production, and storage of climate-adaptive seedlings, ensuring Kazakhstan’s readiness for climate challenges. By aligning with Kazakhstan’s goal of planting two billion trees by 2025, this project reflects a strong commitment to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and sustainable development. Beyond its immediate impacts, the project contributes to global models of combating land degradation, enhancing biodiversity, and building resilience to climate change, setting an example for other countries.

Kyrgyz Republic

$52 million RESILAND Kyrgyz Republic aims to mitigate landslides, flash floods, and mudflows, particularly in the southern regions of Osh and Jalal-Abad BY promoting sustainable landscape management. Funded by the World Bank, PROGREEN, and the Korea-World Bank Group Partnership Facility, the project integrates nature-based solutions with grey infrastructure like embankments and riprap for riverbank protection. It directly benefits over 50,000 rural residents, including vulnerable groups and women, across key regions like Jalal-Abad, Osh, Issyk-Kul, and Naryn. The project emphasizes community engagement through initiatives such as the Green Wager Program, which employs local labor for green restoration activities. Additionally, it promotes sustainable livelihoods by providing training and market access through the proven "One Village One Product" method. By enhancing disaster monitoring systems and implementing climate-resilient solutions, the project not only strengthens local resilience but also fosters regional collaboration on transboundary landscape restoration, ensuring the health and sustainability of shared ecosystems.

Tajikistan

The $45 million RESILAND Tajikistan project aims to address land degradation and soil erosion that threaten the livelihoods of rural communities. Launched in November 2022, the project focuses on creating harmonized regional policies for transboundary landscape restoration and involves over 16,000 rural residents across the Sughd, Khatlon, and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) regions. Key activities include integrated pasture and forest management, biodiversity conservation, and the development of protected areas. Sub-grants support community-led initiatives, such as greenhouse construction, irrigation system rehabilitation, and agricultural equipment purchases. To date, 613 common interest groups have been formed, with 250 business plans submitted to improve livelihoods and combat land degradation. The project also invests in geobotanical surveys and infrastructure to access remote pastures, ensuring sustainable livestock management. By empowering local communities, building institutional capacity, and restoring degraded landscapes, RESILAND Tajikistan creates a foundation for long-term resilience and economic growth.

Turkmenistan

In Turkmenistan, the World Bank is currently completing Climate Adaptation in Turkmenistan: Landscape Restoration Opportunities study to identify hotspots of land degradation and declining land productivity along with areas of adaptation opportunity where landscape restoration can best offset these trends under changing climate conditions. The study shows that from the economic point of view, it is significantly cheaper to implement land restoration interventions than not taking any action. It calls for increased funding for landscape adaptation and restoration initiatives and offers area for initial action.

Uzbekistan

The $153 million RESILAND Uzbekistan tackles one of the world’s most pressing environmental crises: the degradation of the Aralkum Desert, the former seabed of the Aral Sea. This vast, desolate area of 60,000 square kilometers is a major source of sand and toxic dust storms, which harm public health, degrade air quality, and disrupt local economies. With annual economic losses in Karakalpakstan estimated at $44.2 million, the stakes are high. Uzbekistan’s bold afforestation efforts have already restored 500,000 hectares of degraded land by 2020, achieving a Bonn Challenge milestone a decade ahead of schedule. The RESILAND project aims to build on this progress by increasing the area under sustainable landscape management and reducing the frequency of dust storms. Interventions include planting vegetation to stabilize soils, investing in nature-based solutions, and strengthening institutions for transboundary collaboration with neighboring countries. With an estimated $39 million in annual economic benefits from restored ecosystem services, the project not only addresses environmental degradation but also supports livelihoods and regional cooperation. By advancing sustainable landscape restoration, Uzbekistan positions itself as a leader in tackling climate and ecological challenges in Central Asia.

Knowledge Sharing across Central Asia, South Caucasus, and beyond

Knowledge sharing plays a crucial role in improving regional connectivity and collaboration among key stakeholders. With this aim, under RESILAND CA, the World Bank supports Central Asia countries to strengthen regional dialogue and coordinate regional climate action. In partnership with Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC), the World Bank is supporting the annual Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC) to review regional progress in climate change mitigation and adaptation and explore new initiatives for climate resilience, including bolstering regional cooperation to address climate change. The 2024 conference gathered over 500 policy- and decision makers from across Central Asia, international development partners, civil society, the private sector, and academia. Participants reviewed progress, challenges, and gaps in implementing climate commitments and green transition. They also explored collective action to reduce climate-related disaster risks. Stay tunes for updates on the next CACCC, to be held in May in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

RESILAND CA now serves as a replicable model to tackle similar challenges in arid landscapes around the world. For example, In Armenia, where afforestation has been identified as a strategic area for socioeconomic development, almost $10 million was approved for the Armenia Resilient Landscapes Project in May 2024. The Armenia RESILAND project will contribute to forest, wetland, and mining site restoration and to the development of ecotourism and strengthening of institutional capacities. In North Africa's Sahel, the RESILAND model is being adopted to support national and regional efforts to enhance resilience against the effects of land degradation by supporting integrated landscape approaches through technical assistance, policy support, and investments for Sahel countries.

The World Bank through its RESILAND program is committed to promoting knowledge exchange among Central Asian countries and development partners. Over the last year RESILAND supported the 21st session of the Committee on the Implementation of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CRIC-21 UNCCD) held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The session was focused on the impacts of sand and dust storms and land degradation and included Uzbekistan's Minister of Ecology, Environment and Climate Change, UNCCD Executive Secretary, ECO Deputy Secretary, and other partners among its participants. Globally, Central Asia and China together rank second (after the Sahara Desert) in terms of dust emission into the atmosphere — about 20% of the world’s total. Strengthening the capacity of real-time air pollution monitoring and forecasting with a focus on dust and fine dispersed particles is among urgent measures needed as part of the comprehensive approach.

RESILAND jointly with IUCN Regional Dialogue on Transboundary Conservation in Central Asia held on November 28-30, 2023 in Tashkent, made a significant stride in advancing transboundary conservation agenda. Organized jointly with IUCN under RESILAND CA+ Program, the event brought together nearly 100 government representatives from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, and many national and international organizations. Ecosystems that are divided by borders are often subject to different policy, management, and governance structures. Transboundary conservation is a way to overcome these differences by promoting cooperation between relevant parties of the involved countries.

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PRESS RELEASE: Degraded Lands and Forests Across Uzbekistan to be restored with World Bank Support

FEATURE: Nurturing Landscapes, Communities, and Climate Resilience in Kazakhstan

BLOG: Rethinking landscape restoration in Central Asia to improve lives and livelihoods

BLOG: Why Tajikistan must strengthen the resilience of its forests and restore its landscapes

BLOG: In Uzbekistan, policy dialogue builds momentum for transition to a green economy

BLOG: Protecting Central Asia’s mountains and landscapes to transform people’s lives and livelihoods

BLOG: Restoring Uzbekistan’s landscapes: Lessons from a virtual field trip

BLOG: Global knowledge will make tomorrow's forests and landscapes more resilient

PRESS RELEASE: World Bank Supports the Kyrgyz Republic in Sustainable Landscape Management and Climate Mitigation and Adaptation

BLOG: RESILAND Tajikistan: Real Steps Towards Restoration of Degraded Lands

BLOG: From the Alps to the Pamirs: Investing in mountain economies to make people and places more resilient

FEATURE: Greening the desert: The role of landscape restoration in Uzbekistan's battle against sand and dust storms

PRESS RELEASE: Forests, Wetlands, and Landscapes to Restore in Armenia with World Bank Support

EVENT: Sahel RESILAND: Landscape Restoration for Climate Action and People

 

Air Quality Management

Air pollution is the leading environmental risk to health and costs an estimated $8.1 trillion in 2019, equivalent to 6.1 percent of global GDP.  Exposure to fine inhalable particles (PM_2.5 with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less) poses serious health risks, leading to respiratory infections, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and premature deaths. Average annual PM_2.5 concentrations in large Central Asian cities frequently exceed many times the World Health Organization’s guidelines especially in the winter months. The main sources of air pollution are the use of coal for residential heating, emissions from automobiles, and windblown dust.

To address this challenge, the governments of Central Asia countries are stepping up efforts to improve air quality management (AQM) as part of their ambitious goals to green and decarbonize their economies. They also recognize that AQM is a challenge that requires collaborative, comprehensive, and multisectoral effort on the local, national, and regional levels across multiple stakeholders and development partners.

Adoption of health-based air quality standards, implementation of comprehensive air quality management strategies and policies, deployment of advanced air pollution forecasting tools, and cooperative and harmonized regional action to tackle transboundary pollution are ways by which Central Asia countries can achieve their common goals in reducing air pollution.

As part of this pillar, the World Bank works with Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to evaluate air quality and main emission sources, assesses air pollution and climate change interactions, and present the least-cost measures to reduce air pollution exposure and their impacts on greenhouse gas emissions. The studies also analyze the countries air pollution and climate change policies and provide recommendations on integrated air quality management and climate change mitigation and future work.

World Bank Finance

Launched in 2024, the $50 million Kyrgyz Republic Air Quality Improvement Project aims to strengthen the capacity of the Kyrgyz Republic to manage air quality and to reduce emissions of PM_2.5 and greenhouse gases in Bishkek. The project will directly benefit Bishkek residents by improving the city's air quality through effective air quality monitoring and management. In a broader context, the population of the Kyrgyz Republic will also benefit from the project, as the establishment of a sound Air Quality Management System will drive policy actions for air quality improvement, aiming to reduce air pollution impacts on public health and economic development. 

The project focuses on:

• Strengthening air quality management systems by improving ambient air quality data collection and analysis, enhancing the air quality management and pollution control functions, building capacity of relevant environmental and technical inspection departments, as well as strengthening cross-sectoral coordination mechanisms.
• Supporting adoption of clean heating solutions through sub-loans to households for switching to clean heating systems. The project will further support development of a sustainable heating strategy for the country, elaborate a support mechanism for low-income families of Bishkek to replace coal with clean heating systems, and introduce quality assurance systems for the clean heating equipment.
• Urban greening through a pilot green belt, specifically designed for reducing air pollution, and investments in the urban irrigation system.

Knowledge

Recently completed studies identify cost-effective technical measures and policy actions to reduce air pollution exposure and their impacts on greenhouse gas emissions. They also analyze the countries air pollution and climate change policies and provide recommendations on integrated air quality management and climate change mitigation and future work.

The studies are based on comprehensive air quality management assessments completed by the World Bank: Air Quality Analysis for Bishkek (English and Russian), Clean Air and Cool Planet: Cost-Effective Air Quality Management in Kazakhstan and Its Impact on Greenhouse Gas Emissions (English and Russian), Clean Air and Cool Planet, Volume II: Integrated Air Quality Management and Greenhouse Gas Reduction for Almaty and Nur-Sultan (in English and Russian), Air Quality Management in Tajikistan (English and Russian), and Air Quality Assessment for Tashkent and the Roadmap for Air Quality Management Improvement in Uzbekistan (in English, Russian, and Uzbek)

Transboundary cooperation in reducing air pollution requires close collaborative efforts among a wide array of stakeholders and across boundaries to align national policy priorities and share knowledge, good practices, and lessons learned. With this aim, on June 19, 2024, the World Bank, the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and UNEP held the 1st High-Level Policy Dialogue on Air Quality Management in Central Asia. The event launched a series of policy dialogues to advance harmonized regional action and knowledge exchange to tackle air pollution in the region. This truly historic meeting convened for the first time more than 80 senior government officials, policy makers, and air quality experts from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and around the world. The participants shared challenges and response actions to air pollution in their countries. They also affirmed their commitment to deepening regional cooperation to address transboundary air pollution and explored ways to boost investment in clean air for a healthier Central Asia. In addition to exchange among the Central Asia countries, the participants also benefitted from rich experiences in AQM from Austria, China, Germany, India, and Poland. The participants discussed AQM policies and practices, in their countries, as well as priority areas for future work that will inform regional collaboration in AQM, follow-on knowledge exchange and capacity building, and an air pollution public awareness campaign. The event was supported by the Korea Green Growth Trust Fund (KGGTF), NDC Support Facility  and the Global Program for Sustainability (GPS).

Circular Economy

Circular economy concept is a key strategy to reduce waste and pollution, conserve resources, and minimize environmental impacts and GHG emissions by keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible. It is a fundamental step in climate change adaptation, achieving resilient ecosystems and livelihoods, and supporting sustainable development and green growth.

Under this pillar, the World Bank has partnered with Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Uzbekistan to:

• implement the circular economy approaches in the countries' resource-intensive and polluting sectors that are in line with green growth goals and the EU’s circular economy strategy
• develop and integrated approach to climate change mitigation and air pollution reduction in the use of fossil fuels through policy dialogue, knowledge sharing, and technical assistance to close knowledge gaps and provide policy and institutional action recommendations.
• to develop circular economy action plans and capacity building tools to facilitate knowledge exchange, and promote policy dialogue on circular economy approaches.

The latest study and report, Circular Economy as an Opportunity for Central Asia: Summary Report (English and Russian), completed by the World Bank under this activity presents three circular economy action plans—for construction, agri-food, and urban management—to chart a way for the circular transition in Central Asia based on several case studies analyzing the situation in different sectors in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The report shows that the benefits of resource efficiency in these sectors often significantly outweigh the costs, while encouraging further actions in innovative sectoral circular policy development and in designing new, circular funding opportunities.

The report findings show that Kazakhstan has ample opportunities to introduce circular economy  business models in the construction value chain. The action plan for this sector focuses on adopting relevant regulations and standards, infrastructure investments, collaboration platforms, and pilot projects.

In Uzbekistan, the agri-food value chain is characterized by low productivity, high post-harvest losses, water scarcity, and high GHG emissions. The action plan for this sector aims to improve its performance in terms of resource efficiency, waste prevention, and management.

The action plan for Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city of around two million residents, addresses excessive waste generation, lack of waste processing infrastructure, and flawed monitoring and evaluation procedures in three key material-intensive sectors in the city: construction, industry, and agriculture and food processing.

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Publication page: Air Quality Management in Central Asia 

Publication Page: Air Quality Assessment for Tashkent and the Roadmap for Air Quality Management Improvement in Uzbekistan

Event Page: Air Quality Analysis for Bishkek

Publication Page Circular Economy as an Opportunity for Central Asia: Summary Report

Event Page: Building a Clean Air Future in Central Asia

World Bank Support Air Quality Improvement in the Kyrgyz Republic | Press Release

Blog: Five steps for cleaner air in Central Asia

As Central Asia' population heads toward 100 million by 2050, decisions made today will lock countries into growth patterns that may or may not be sustainable in the future. Care must be taken to ensure that cities and roads, factories and farms are designed, managed, and regulated as efficiently as possible to wisely use natural resources while supporting the robust growth the countries still need. Economic development during the next two decades cannot mirror the previous two: poverty reduction remains urgent but growth and equity can be pursued without relying on policies and practices that pollute air, water, and land.

Like other forms of capital, natural assets are limited and require accounting, investment, and maintenance in order to be properly harnessed and deployed. This requires strategic investments and farsighted policy changes that recognize natural resource constraints, maximize co-benefits and avoid lock-in, promote smarter decisions in industry and society, and develop innovative financing tools for green investment.

Under this pillar, through financial assistance and policy guidance the World Bank supports Central Asian countries in taking bold steps to transition to a greener, cleaner, and more resilient growth that is efficient in its use of natural resources, clean in that it minimizes pollution and environmental impacts, and resilient in that it accounts for natural

Kazakhstan

By adopting The Strategy on Achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2060, Kazakhstan has set ambitious net-zero carbon goals for climate action and identified key technological transformations needed for the country's decarbonization. To achieve these transformations, the World Bank supports the country in identifying and implementing effective and targeted policies and programs across the whole of economy. As part of the knowledge exchange, the policy dialogue series, Achieving Carbon Neutrality and Building Resilience in Kazakhstan, organized jointly with the Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Ministry of National Economy, and ECOJER, aimed to support Kazakhstan in implementing its critical climate and environmental strategies, including the low-carbon transition, air quality management, and resilience to climate change, by convening and providing a space for public discussion of Kazakhstan's progress towards achieving climate change commitments and accelerating the decarbonization transition.

Kyrgyz Republic

The World Bank works with the government of the Kyrgyz Republic to support the country's in integrating climate and environmental considerations in the national budget process and  aligning resources to implement the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental commitments.

In extensive collaboration and consultations with key ministries and stakeholders the World Bank supported the Ministry of Finance in the development of guidelines on Green Budget Tagging in the Kyrgyz Republic providing a framework for tracking and classifying public budget expenditures related to climate change adaptation, mitigation, and other environmental activities.

The guidelines establish a comprehensive framework for implementing green budget expenditure tagging in the Kyrgyz Republic, aligning with the country's fiscal policy directions for 2024–2028 and supplementing the Interim Guidelines issued pursuant to Ministry of Finance Order No. 90, dated June 13, 2024.

This framework underscores the critical role of green budget tagging as a fundamental aspect of budget policy. This aligns with international best practices and will enable the government to better identify gaps in climate-related spending where there is a need to focus mobilization efforts for green finance. This framework will also enhance the effectiveness of our climate and environmental measures by incentivizing ministries to integrate them into their plans and budgets.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a nation with high stakes when it comes to being affected by extreme weather – from threats of water scarcity and droughts to heat waves, flooding and landslides. Recognizing that these issues threaten the core of the country's agriculture, economy, and people, Uzbekistan has decided on a strategy of integrating green goals into financial sector reforms, creating a strong alignment between domestic finance and action to build resilient infrastructure and systems. In the past few years, Uzbekistan has set ambitious goals to reshape its economy. Presidential Resolution No. 436, passed in 2022, lays out the government’s strategy to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 35% per unit of GDP by 2030, improving resource efficiency, as well as reforestation and urban greening. The strategy has become a blueprint for the country's double transition to market principles and to a more resilient growth model.

Another pivotal step is the creation of a National Green Economy Taxonomy developed jointly with the World Bank which sets a standard for environmentally sustainable activities and is instrumental for targeting policy support and influencing investment decisions. It is a valuable tool for policy makers and regulators that establishes a consistent and rigorous system for classifying environmentally sustainable activities and projects. With a robust set of rules, policy makers have a more complete picture of where the gaps and opportunities are for deploying policy tools to encourage greening and discourage unsustainable activities

World Bank supports key issues and priorities for action as Uzbekistan transitions to a sustainable and inclusive market economy. Assistance includes identifying strategies for greening the economic transition and enhancing, resilience against natural disasters and climate change, urban air quality and sustainable cities, green employment and public institutions, and green finance.

In partnership with the Government of Uzbekistan and the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC), the World Bank held a series of 11 roundtables on green growth and climate was to create space for public discussion on Uzbekistan’s progress in implementing its climate change commitments and accelerating the transition to green growth. The Supporting Green and Resilient Recovery in Uzbekistan Policy Dialogue Series brought together policymakers and government officials, leading economic development and environmental experts, representatives of civil society, international organizations and the media and its outcomes largely informed the government’s ambitious strategy for the country's transition to a green economy.

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Blog: From Paris to Glasgow and beyond: Towards Kazakhstan’s carbon neutrality by 2060

Blog: Climate action can accelerate growth by helping Kazakhstan shift to a more diversified and inclusive economy

Event Page: Achieving Carbon Neutrality and Building Resilience in Kazakhstan

Event Page: Green Budget Tagging in the Kyrgyz Republic: Conceptual Approach

Publication Page: Prime Picks for a Green Pivot: Uzbekistan State Funds for Climate Action

Event Page: Kazakhstan Policy Dialogues: Achieving Carbon Neutrality and Building Resilience

BLOG: In Uzbekistan, policy dialogue builds momentum for transition to a green economy

Blog: Uzbekistan’s green leap

PRESS RELEASE: Policy Dialogue Series Aims to Accelerate Uzbekistan’s Transition to a Green Economy

Building Climate Resilience Through Strengthened Response to Disasters in Uzbekistan

 

Transitioning to green, clean, and resilient growth requires a paradigm shift not only in government but also in society. Social change occurs when awareness evolves to understanding and, ultimately, action. The Climate and Environment Program supports these steps by engaging with policymakers, civil society, media, youth, and affected communities to raise awareness and advocacy for climate resilience and green growth towards achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Under this pillar, the World Banks works towards building a shared understanding of solutions for resilient landscape restoration, urban air pollution management, and adoption of circular economy models for green growth. By working closely with Central Asian stakeholders, the program has reached millions in Central Asia and globally with key messaging on climate and environmental issues while promoting Central Asia on a global environmental forum and reaching non-traditional stakeholders.

As part of the Central Asia Conference on Climate Change (CACCC), the World Bank works with Central Asian governments to raise public awareness of climate and environmental issues. A media training on climate change impacts and climate action held as part of CACCC  provided a platform for exchange of knowledge on climate and environmental topics and helped journalists from five Central Asian countries hone their skills in digital content development. The media materials developed by the trained participants reached more than 10 million across Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

A recent Stakeholder Workshop on Environmental and Climate Education in Central Asia organized jointly with the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan, National University of Uzbekistan, and Central Asian Green University and supported by RESILAND CA+ Program brought together for the first time over 70 policy- and decision-makers, educators, education and environmental experts from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The workshop provided an important space for meaningful engagement with youth from across Central Asia in policy discussions. Students from National University of Uzbekistan, University of Central Asia, Khorog State University, Nazarbayev University, Naryn State University, and Tajik National University and pupils and teachers from Uzbekistan's Fergana, Jizzakh, and Samarkand regions provided important youth perspectives and developed specific policy recommendations on building climate resilience and sustainable future.

The study, Piloting AnchorEd Schools as a Model for Resilience in Central Asia,  implemented in partnership with AnchorEd and University of Central Asia aimed to raise awareness in climate change, pollution, and landscape restoration practices among Tajikistan’s rural youth and women. Using the Anchor Schools Project model tailored to specific needs of rural communities in the region, the study aims provides insights into how building awareness and engagement of these environmental issues among youth (aged 15-25 years) can contribute to community-driven actions towards climate resilience, green growth, and achievement of SDGs.

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Report: Choosing our Future: Education for Climate Action