Uzbekistan adopts environment protection programme

The Cabinet of Ministers issued a resolution “On action programme on protection of environment of Uzbekistan for 2013-2017” in order to further ensuring favourable condition of environment and rational use of natural resources, introduction of ecological bases for sustainable development of economy.

The programme was developed to implement complex of measures to achieve quality state of environment, ensure rational use of natural resources, introduce and improve use of effective economic methods on nature management, development of economy, promote ecologic science and introduction of education for sustainable development, etc.

The programme will be implemented in five directions:

• Creation of guaranteed and sustainable conditions of environment and high level of ecologic safety for people and the government;
• Ecologization of industries of economy, improve technologic processes and nature protection activities, prevent pollution of environment with industrial and domestic waste;
• Development of legislation and normative-methodical base in protection of environment and nature use, ecologic and sustainable development education;
• Development on regional and international cooperation on improving nature protection activities and prevent trans-boundary protection of environment.

The programme included 68 projects. Some 89.39 billion soums, US$1.635 billion and 57.63 million euros will be directed to implementation of them.

In particular, the State budget will issue about 10.12 billion soums to the programme. Off-budget resources of ministry, departments and other organizations, Fund for Development and Reconstruction of Uzbekistan, credits of banks, resources of individuals and non-governmental legal entities will make up about 79.27 billion soums, US$1.247 billion and 57.49 million euros.

The Government of Uzbekistan is planning to attract foreign investments and resources for US$388.41 million and 140,000 euros, including grants for nature protection projects at the size of US$3.52 million and 140,000 euros.

The Government said that the State Committee of Uzbekistan on protection of nature will be responsible for execution of the programme.