Uzbekistan Ranks 48th in Climate Change Performance, Aims to Boost Renewable Energy

Uzbekistan has ranked 48th among 67 countries in the Climate Change Performance Index, with an index score of 46.4. The country aims to increase its renewable energy share to 40% by 2030, with a capacity of over 20 gigawatts (GW) and $2.1 billion in foreign investment.

Why this matters: Uzbekistan's efforts to increase its renewable energy share and reduce its carbon footprint have significant implications for global climate change mitigation efforts. As a developing country, Uzbekistan's success in transitioning to renewable energy could serve as a model for other countries with similar economic and environmental challenges.

Currently, hydropower dominates Uzbekistan's renewable energy sector, accounting for 1.85 GW of capacity, with other renewable sources making up only 1% of the energy balance. To achieve its ambitious renewable energy goals, Uzbekistan is working on 28 projects, with nearly all regions constructing solar and wind power plants.

Several regions have launched large-scale solar and wind power plants, including 9 plants with a capacity of 1.6 GW in the Bukhara, Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Samarkand, and Surkhandarya regions, and 6 hydropower plants with a capacity of 183 MW in the Andijan, Samarkand, Surkhandarya, and Tashkent regions. These developments demonstrate Uzbekistan's commitment to increasing its renewable energy share and reducing its carbon footprint.

In addition to its renewable energy goals, Uzbekistan is also taking steps to adapt its agriculture to climate change. On May 10, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was presented with proposed adaptations in agricultural practice and land use to address the country's significant challenges, including 3 million hectares of degraded pastoral and agricultural land and 2 million hectares of salinized land. By 2030, Uzbekistan's water resources are at risk of diminishing by almost 6%.

Uzbekistan has developed a national program to adapt agriculture to climate change, with over $294 million in anticipated grant funding. The program aims to improve the condition of 1 million hectares of agro-ecological landscape and degraded pastures in the Aral Sea region, create protective forest belts in several regions, cultivate drought-resistant plants, establish a center to analyze and forecast climate change, and build a center for intensive seed cultivation and a farm for drought and salinity-resistant plants, in cooperation with Italy.

The program also encourages farmers to build more greenhouses, which have increased 2.6-fold in recent years and currently provide 80,000 permanent jobs and 70,000 seasonal posts. To increase efficiency, the program proposes to reimburse greenhouse owners 50% of the costs of hiring qualified foreign agronomists and up to 20% of the costs of coal heaters. Additionally, subsidies will be allocated for laser-leveling land in Karakalpakstan to reduce water consumption by 15-20%, with grain and rice producers reimbursed up to 100% of the fuel costs required to level land using a laser level.

Uzbekistan's ranking in the Climate Change Performance Index and its ambitious renewable energy and agricultural adaptation goals demonstrate the country's commitment to addressing climate change. With significant foreign investment and a comprehensive national program, Uzbekistan is taking concrete steps to increase its renewable energy share, reduce its carbon footprint, and adapt its agriculture to the challenges posed by climate change.