On January 14, the President of Uzbekistan took part in the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The summit was also attended by the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed Al Nahyan, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo, as well as other heads of state and government officials from various countries, international organizations, and financial institutions.
The forum’s agenda focused on issues related to promoting sustainable development, innovation, green economy, and regional connectivity.
In his speech, the President of Uzbekistan highlighted the importance of energy diversification and reducing the use of hydrocarbons in order to mitigate the effects of climate change, ensure sustainable development, and global security.
He also emphasized that the strategic goal of New Uzbekistan is to achieve environmental stability and transition to a resource-efficient, green economic development model.
“That is why we have declared the year 2025 as the Year of Environmental Protection and Green Economy in Uzbekistan,” said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The President also mentioned that Uzbekistan has developed a long-term Low-Carbon Development Strategy and a National Green Finance Program, with a goal to increase the share of green components in investment projects by 50% in the next five years.
The country is also working towards implementing national systems for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions and trading emissions quotas. By 2030, Uzbekistan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35%, followed by a gradual increase in this indicator.
As part of the Green Space Program, the government plans to transform at least 30% of urban areas into green spaces. Efforts are also being made to increase the use of water-saving technologies in agriculture to 100%.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed the importance of increasing the country’s green energy capacity to meet the growing energy demands of the economy.
“In the past five years, we have attracted almost $20 billion in foreign investment into the energy sector and built 9.6 gigawatts of new energy capacity. This includes 14 solar and wind power plants with a total capacity of 3.5 gigawatts and two energy storage systems with a capacity of 300 megawatts,” he said.
Currently, there are more than 50 major projects with a total energy capacity of 24 gigawatts worth over $26 billion underway with foreign partners. By 2030, Uzbekistan aims to increase the share of renewable energy in the country to 54%.
“Today, green development has become a nationwide movement in Uzbekistan,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev added.
The President also highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in making Central Asia a center for the development of green economy and clean energy.
Efforts have been made to revive the Great Silk Road through energy connectivity, and a multilateral agreement was recently signed with Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan within the framework of COP-29 to export green energy to Europe.
“I would like to emphasize that the United Arab Emirates is our reliable and strategic partner in the field of green energy,” said the President of Uzbekistan.
In recent years, the investment portfolio with the UAE has exceeded $26 billion, with a significant portion allocated to renewable energy projects.
Uzbekistan has also partnered with Masdar to commission five electricity production facilities with a total capacity of 1.5 gigawatts. Three more projects are in progress to create generating capacities of 1.6 gigawatts, and energy storage systems with a capacity of 520 megawatts per hour will be built.
Similar projects are also being carried out with other leading UAE companies, as well as partners from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and China.
The President stated that Uzbekistan is interested in jointly utilizing the vast potential for solar, water, and wind energy in Central Asia, as well as producing green hydrogen.
Preliminary estimates show that Uzbekistan alone has the potential to generate 500 gigawatts of solar energy, 100 gigawatts of wind energy, and 10 gigawatts of hydropower.
The region is also rich in uranium and other key strategic raw materials.
“In this regard, we are ready to provide all favorable conditions for our foreign partners,” emphasized the President.
He also invited prestigious research centers, experts, and scientists participating in the forum to collaborate in implementing research and innovation programs with the Green University in Tashkent.
Furthermore, he proposed establishing an International Research Network for Combating Land Degradation and Desertification based on this university.
The President highlighted that Uzbekistan has put forward initiatives to mitigate the consequences of global climate change at the COP28 and COP29 summits in Dubai and Baku, as well as other international forums.
These initiatives include establishing an International Center for Climate Loss and Damage Assessment, ensuring the safety of river ecosystems, setting up a Regional Hub for Water-Saving Technologies, and a Plant Genetic Resources Bank.
“We are ready to start practical work with all of our partners,” stated the President of Uzbekistan.
He also invited representatives from countries participating in the summit to the Global Youth Digital Green Initiatives Festival, which will take place in the Aral Sea region on International Climate Day – May 15.
In conclusion, the President once again emphasized the openness of New Uzbekistan to extensive practical cooperation on the path towards sustainable and eco-friendly development.
UzA