Uzb grge policyBrief ExSum 5 20210301 at

Urban Development.
Quality urban environments - which incorporate energy efficiency, waste management, improvement of 
public transit, green infrastructure, and walkable green public spaces - are integral to a city’s economic success because they 
contribute to competitiveness and attract and facilitate economic activity. To create quality environments, city and national 
planning need to be integrated in order to harmonize policies and regulations (including national climate mitigation and 
adaptation plans) and facilitate connectivity between cities, especially in areas like transport, waste disposal and ICT. 
Water Resources.
Uzbekistan is among the 25 countries most exposed to water stress, and water scarcity will be exacerbated 
by climate change. Inefficient water use and poor on-farm agricultural practices are causing low productivity and severe land 
degradation through soil salinization, forcing land out of production and contributing to toxic dust storms in the Aral Sea basin. 
While overall 73% of population has access to clean drinking water, there are significant spatial discrepancies in access to 
water and sanitation. Wastewater management is heavily underdeveloped and needs substantial financing. Centralized 
sewerage system penetration covers only 15.6% of the population against the Government target of 31.4% by 2030. The 
wastewater treatment efficiency rate is also low at 55%, as infrastructure is old and needs replacement.
Agriculture. 
Uzbekistan’s agriculture sector is the second biggest emitter of GHGs and the largest user of water. More than 
three-quarters of pasture land has been degraded,
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and productivity on good land has dropped by half in last 20 years, with 
yields of fodder declining by an average of 2% per ha per year. ‘Greening’ agriculture, coupled with agricultural sector 
liberalization launched after 2016, has the potential to significantly increase productivity, employment and income, and cut water 
use. Agriculture employs more people than industry and trade sectors together. The recently adopted agricultural strategy for 
Uzbekistan has an implicit jobs agenda. What is needed is a “roadmap” for realizing job potential in the sector while ‘greening’ 
it.
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