Uzbekistan Targets 50% Cut in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2035

Uzbekistan plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by 50% by 2035 compared with 2010 levels, Ecology Minister Aziz Abduhakimov announced.

Speaking at the UN Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil, Minister Abduhakimov underscored Central Asia’s heightened vulnerability to climate change, citing worsening land degradation and diminishing water resources, The Caspian Post reports, citing Uzbek media.

He noted that regional temperatures have already increased by 2.2 °C and glaciers are losing up to 0.5% of their volume each year.

The minister emphasized Uzbekistan’s new nationally determined contribution (NDC), under which the country aims to halve greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by 2035 relative to 2010 levels.

Abduhakimov also outlined plans to develop renewable energy, expand forested areas, and modernize waste management systems. He highlighted the importance of the Green University initiative and the regional center being established to combat desertification.

At the conclusion of his speech, the minister invited participants to attend the 8th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Eco Expo Central Asia exhibition, scheduled to take place in Samarkand from 31 May to 5 June 2026.

For context, greenhouse gases are gaseous substances that trap and re-emit infrared radiation, originating from natural or human-made sources, and are regulated under the Paris Agreement. These include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), ozone (O3), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).