Uzbekistan: stable economic growth can be ensured only on the principles of a "green" economy

It is becoming increasingly obvious that the modern world is so interconnected that any action, especially if it concerns nature, will necessarily be reflected in any other point of the Earth. The worsening global problems have necessitated the development and adoption at the international level of benchmarks and goals for the transition to sustainable development.

States have an understanding that measures to increase economic growth, eliminate poverty and improve the quality of life, address a whole range of issues in the field of education, health, social protection and employment should be taken in parallel with efforts to combat climate change and protect the environment. In this context, along with Governments, parliaments can and should play an active role in improving legislation, monitoring and promoting the Agenda and National Goals and Objectives in the field of Sustainable Development for the period up to 2030. 
In June 2023, representatives of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan took part in the webinar "Enhancing the role of parliaments in accelerating the achievement of the SDGs: implementation of the UNGA Resolution", organized jointly by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the UN Economic Commission for Europe, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. Its participants, noting the importance of supporting Uzbekistan's initiative to adopt a Resolution of the UN General Assembly "On strengthening the role of parliaments in accelerating the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals", stressed that for the first time in history an important document was adopted, which emphasizes the decisive role of parliaments in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The resolution assigns a special role to national parliaments with legislative, control and representative functions. They can stimulate the development of the economy, influence the effective implementation of social policy, provide access to quality healthcare and education.
In order to integrate the SDGs into legislative processes and ensure the effective implementation of parliamentary oversight of the activities of state bodies to fulfill tasks at the national level, a parliamentary commission was established in Uzbekistan in 2020. Of particular importance is the involvement of members of Parliament at the national and regional levels in support of the achievement of the SDGs.
It is necessary to review the approaches and methods of work of parliamentarians, representatives of central and local public authorities and management, taking into account modern requirements and challenges related to the SDGs. To do this, the parties involved should be aware of the best practices of implementing national and global Sustainable Development Goals and solving emerging problems, as well as be able to respond promptly to the changing needs of society. This will strengthen the capacity of parliaments and governments to integrate the SDGs into their processes, which will increase the effectiveness of legislative acts and government decisions, and ensure transparent and accountable budgeting for the implementation of goals.
Parliamentarians and representatives of the public of the republic actively participate in the discussion of the implementation of national goals, carry out monitoring and other forms of public control. Experts of the Senate Committee of the Oliy Majlis on the Development of the Aral Sea region and Ecology, revealing the goals and content of the national SDGs, propose to discuss the concept of creating ecological territories (zones) of sustainable development in Uzbekistan. It should be modeled taking into account all the components, their interconnectedness, interdependence and aimed at consistently solving problems:
— to ensure the stabilization of the environmental situation in a market economy; 
— to radically improve the state of the environment through the greening of economic activity within the framework of institutional and structural transformations that allow for the widespread dissemination of environmentally oriented management methods and, in general, the transition to a "green" economy; 
— to implement measures aimed at the rational use of natural resources, combating desertification and drought, solving the problem of waste, improving the safety of the use of toxic chemicals, environmentally safe use of agrobiotechnology;
 — to introduce economic activity within the limits of ecosystem capacity through the widespread introduction of energy- and resource-saving technologies, as well as targeted changes in the structure of personal and public consumption; 
— to stop the destruction and disappearance of threatened ecosystems and certain types of biodiversity, to create conditions for the normal functioning of ecosystems, to expand the network of protected natural areas.
In modern realities, stable economic growth of the territory can be ensured only if states switch to the principles of a "green" economy. This is due to the fact that in recent decades, the demands of mankind have been growing at a catastrophically rapid pace to meet the needs for water, food, and comfortable living conditions. 
Uzbekistan belongs to the category of countries most vulnerable to climate change. The Aral Sea was a climate-regulating reservoir that mitigated sharp fluctuations in the weather in the region, favorably affecting living conditions, agricultural production and the ecological situation. Due to the drying up of the sea, climatic changes in the Aral basin occur much harsher than in other regions, twice as intense as the average values in the world. The daily temperature range has increased, the relative humidity of the air has decreased, the number of days with an air temperature above 40 ° C has increased.
Over the past 20-25 years, there has been a significant decrease in the amount of precipitation in the summer and an increase in the aridization of the region. The rate of desertification is increasing. According to reports, every minute nine square meters of fertile land in the region turns into a desert. 
One of the most destructive consequences of such processes is the intensive melting of glaciers. In the next ten years, this will lead to a reduction in the resources of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya by 10-15 percent.
In mountainous and foothill territories, due to grazing, soil degradation occurs, the reduction of forests, which leads to a decrease in biodiversity and biomass of mountain ecosystems. The threat of more frequent landslides is increasing. Together, these factors contribute to the destruction of the region's ecosystems and call into question the achievement of national and global Sustainable Development Goals.
Under these conditions, the systemic transformations taking place in Uzbekistan in recent years have a positive impact on all aspects of society. One of the convincing examples of this is the initiatives of the President at the 78th meeting of the UN General Assembly.
Drawing attention to the fact that global warming has exacerbated the problem of water scarcity in Central Asia, an increase in air temperature over the past 30 years by one and a half degrees has caused a reduction in a third of the total area of glaciers, the country's leader noted that if this trend continues in the next 20 years, water supply per capita will decrease by 25 percent, crop yields — by 40 percent.
The President proposed to adopt the UN Resolution "Central Asia in the face of global climate threats: Solidarity for common prosperity" and discuss its main content at the international climate Forum in Samarkand next year.
There are all conditions for the implementation of the initiative. It is enough to mention measures to improve environmental legislation, the adoption and implementation of concepts, strategies and projects aimed at "green" development. 
At the same time, it is necessary to combine the efforts of the Central Asian countries to promote environmentally sound management of the region's natural resources. The attitude towards the environment should be changed. It is necessary to develop a collective understanding of respect for nature. This will reduce the use of limited natural resources through the transition to innovative means and the widespread introduction of "green" technologies, create experimental ecological territories (zones) of sustainable development; develop a regional strategy for environmental management, taking into account the transition to "smart" agriculture. In addition, to continue the search for new means and technological solutions for the optimal non-security use of land and water resources, to intensify measures to raise public awareness of the importance of reducing environmental pollution so that a clean environment and rational use of natural resources become the norm and social values of every resident of the region.
The lives and health of millions of people and the fate of the region depend on the speedy solution of these problems. 

Boriy Alikhanov,
Chairman of the Senate Committee of the Oliy Majlis on the Development of the Aral Sea Region and Ecology,

Saidrasul Sanginov, 
Deputy Chairman 
The Executive Committee of the Central Kengash of the Ecological Movement.