Uzbekistan Links Ecosystem Restoration with Green Economic Reform

Uzbekistan is stepping up efforts to restore degraded land around the Aral Sea while preparing a new green certification system to support businesses adopting cleaner practices.

The initiatives were presented during Eco Expo Central Asia 2025, where representatives from more than 30 countries and 20 international organisations gathered to discuss environmental technologies, sustainable development and regional climate cooperation. According to Euronews, Uzbekistan used the event to highlight two priorities: expanding ecological recovery projects in Karakalpakstan and launching a national green certification programme for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic in north-western Uzbekistan, remains one of the areas most affected by the Aral Sea crisis. Once one of the world’s largest inland bodies of water, the Aral Sea has lost most of its surface area after decades of river diversion, mainly for irrigation. The resulting Aralkum desert has created severe environmental, health and economic challenges, including dust and salt storms, degraded soils, pressure on agriculture and reduced livelihood options.

UNDP says the Aral Sea has lost around 90 percent of its area over several decades, contributing to poorer public health, reduced economic activity and biodiversity loss in the region. The dried seabed is also highly difficult to restore because of soil salinity, extreme temperatures, very low precipitation and constant sand storms.

More than Two Million Hectares Planted on the Dried Seabed

A central element of Uzbekistan’s response has been large-scale vegetation planting on the dried seabed. Euronews reported that more than 2 million hectares of vegetation have been planted in recent years in Karakalpakstan, with authorities saying the work has helped reduce dust storms and improve local air and soil conditions.

Much of this work focuses on saxaul, a hardy desert shrub suited to arid and saline conditions. Saxaul plantations can stabilise mobile sands, reduce wind erosion and limit the spread of salt-dust storms from exposed seabed areas. UNDP’s Green Aral Sea initiative planted 80,000 saxaul seedlings across 80 hectares in March 2025 in the Muynak district, using experimental methods designed to improve plant survival in extreme conditions.

UNDP monitoring cited in the programme indicates that one adult saxaul bush can stop up to four tonnes of moving sand, while seven-year-old plantations can sharply reduce wind speed. The same source says each hectare of saxaul plantations can absorb 1,135 kg of carbon dioxide annually and release 835 kg of oxygen.

The scale of the challenge remains large. UNDP notes that the dried Aral seabed covers about 2.7 million hectares in Uzbekistan, mostly in Karakalpakstan. Since the Green Aral Sea crowdfunding platform began in 2020, more than 823,000 trees have been planted across 658.2 hectares, exceeding initial project targets but covering only a small share of the affected territory.

Recovery Strategy Shifts Toward Climate-Resilient Agriculture

Uzbekistan’s next phase is expected to move beyond planting alone. Officials are increasingly focusing on biosaline agriculture, climate-resilient farming and sustainable water use. These approaches are relevant because the region faces overlapping pressures from water scarcity, land degradation, soil salinity and rising climate risks.

At a side event during Eco Expo Central Asia 2025, Uzbekistan’s International Innovation Center for the Aral Sea presented technologies for sustainable agriculture, water conservation, biotechnology and renewable energy. The Ministry of Ecology said participants discussed how scientific approaches could be scaled across Central Asia, where other dryland regions face similar pressures.

The practical implications are significant. For farmers, biosaline agriculture may support crop production in areas where conventional irrigation and soil conditions are no longer viable. For local authorities, water-saving systems and environmental monitoring can improve planning in drought-prone districts. For investors and development institutions, Karakalpakstan is becoming a test case for integrated climate adaptation, combining ecosystem restoration with rural economic development.

The World Bank has also highlighted the economic cost of sand and dust storms linked to the dried Aral seabed. It estimates annual losses in Karakalpakstan alone at $44.2 million, equivalent to 2.1% of the region’s GDP, due to impacts on health, livelihoods, infrastructure and the environment. The Bank argues that well-implemented landscape restoration can deliver benefits that outweigh direct financial costs.

Green Certification Aims to Help SMEs Access Finance

Alongside the restoration agenda, Uzbekistan is preparing a national green certification system for businesses. The programme is intended to help small and medium-sized enterprises adopt more sustainable technologies and practices, while improving access to green finance, international grants and concessional loans.

This is important because many SMEs face barriers when trying to invest in cleaner equipment, energy efficiency, waste reduction or resource-efficient production. Certification could provide lenders and development partners with a clearer way to assess environmental performance, while giving companies a recognised standard to demonstrate progress.

According to Euronews, the programme will be implemented with green banks and development partners. Uzbekistan’s Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, Aziz Abdukhakimov, said the initiative is designed to change the perception that environmental standards are mainly a burden for businesses.

For companies operating in Uzbekistan, the certification system could become a useful tool for supply chain positioning, especially as international buyers apply stricter sustainability criteria. It may also support domestic green investment by making it easier to identify enterprises that meet environmental benchmarks.

A Regional Test Case for Adaptation and Green Growth

Uzbekistan’s Aral Sea strategy reflects a broader shift in climate policy: adaptation is becoming an economic development issue, not only an environmental one. Restoring degraded land can reduce health risks, protect agriculture and stabilise local livelihoods. At the same time, green certification can help businesses align with cleaner production standards and attract finance.

The country’s plans also matter beyond Uzbekistan. Central Asia is highly exposed to water stress, desertification and climate-related agricultural risks. If restoration methods, biosaline agriculture and SME-focused green finance tools prove effective in Karakalpakstan, they could offer lessons for other dryland regions.

The challenge will be implementation. Large-scale planting requires long-term monitoring, survival-rate improvements and continued maintenance. Green certification will need transparent criteria, credible verification and strong links to finance. Without these elements, the initiatives risk becoming fragmented rather than transformative.

Still, the combined focus on ecological recovery and business transition signals a more integrated approach to net zero and climate resilience. For Karakalpakstan, the immediate priority is reducing the harmful effects of the Aral Sea disaster. For Uzbekistan’s economy, the wider goal is to use restoration, innovation and finance to support a greener growth model.

Source: www.euronews.com