By Azamat Kauazov, Program Manager, Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Program, Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC)
In the arid climate of Central Asia, forests are far more than a natural resource—they are a critical component of climate resilience and hydrological security. Recognizing the growing threats of desertification and water resource depletion, the Republic of Uzbekistan is developing a new edition of its Forest Code. The document is intended to provide the legal foundation for restoring and expanding the country’s “green shield.” The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) serves as a strategic partner in this process by providing analytical support and linking national initiatives to the broader regional sustainable development agenda.
Forests as Infrastructure: A Paradigm Shift
Historically, forest legislation has focused primarily on the inventory and limited use of timber resources. Under current climate realities, this approach is no longer sufficient. Uzbekistan’s new Forest Code introduces a fundamentally different paradigm by formally recognizing forest ecosystems—including mountain forests, tugai forests, and desert forests—as essential providers of ecosystem services.
The development of a national “green shield” addresses several critical regional challenges simultaneously:
- Combating Desertification and Dust Storms: Large-scale establishment of protective forest belts—particularly using saxaul and other drought-resistant species—on the dried bed of the Aral Sea and in other arid areas is being institutionalized as a protected national priority.
- Strengthening Hydrological Resilience: Mountain and riparian forests function as natural water retention systems. The new Code aligns forest management with integrated water resources management, recognizing that forest conservation is essential for stabilizing river flows, reducing the risk of mudflows, and protecting watershed ecosystems.
- Supporting Carbon Neutrality Goals: Expansion of the national forest estate is directly linked to the country’s commitments to decarbonization and greenhouse gas sequestration under the Paris Agreement.
From Policy Commitments to Investment: Mechanisms Embedded in the New Code
To ensure that the concept of a “green shield” translates into tangible outcomes, the revised Forest Code incorporates a range of mechanisms designed to promote sustainable afforestation and forest management:
- Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs): Establishing transparent legal frameworks to attract private-sector investment in afforestation, forest nurseries, and commercial plantations, thereby reducing pressure on natural forests.
- Agroforestry Development: Promoting the integration of forestry and agriculture. Farmers will be encouraged to establish shelterbelts around agricultural fields to enhance productivity and reduce soil erosion.
- Land-Use Zoning and Digital Monitoring: Introducing modern forest inventory and monitoring systems to prevent illegal logging and unauthorized land-use conversion.
CAREC’s Contribution: Data, Monitoring, and a Regional Perspective
The development of the Forest Code falls within the mandate of Uzbekistan’s national government institutions. However, effective implementation will depend on the adoption of international best practices and a cross-sectoral approach. Legal provisions must be supported by practical, field-based interventions. It is in this area that CAREC provides critical support through the RESILAND CA+ Program (additional information is available on the program’s official website).
In this context, CAREC contributes through the following areas:
- Climate Change Adaptation: CAREC initiatives, including those implemented under the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Program, help integrate Uzbekistan’s forestry initiatives into international climate finance frameworks, making them more attractive to financing mechanisms such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Adaptation Fund.
- A Transboundary Perspective: Ecosystems do not recognize political boundaries. The protection of water-regulating forests and the establishment of dust-control shelterbelts in Uzbekistan have direct implications for air and water quality in neighboring countries. CAREC supports efforts to ensure that Uzbekistan’s Forest Code is aligned with the broader architecture of environmental security and regional cooperation in Central Asia.
Conclusion
Uzbekistan’s new Forest Code establishes a modern framework for managing the country’s green assets. Revitalizing the nation’s “green shield” represents an investment in hydrological stability, food security, and climate resilience. By supporting the integration of scientific evidence and regional perspectives into the reform process, CAREC helps ensure that Uzbekistan’s legal innovations become an effective instrument for long-term environmental protection and sustainable development across Central Asia.
The RESILAND CA+ Program is the World Bank’s flagship initiative implemented with financial support from the Global Environment Facility and the PROGREEN Multi Donor Trust Fund.
Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia implements the regional component of the national projects under RESILAND CA+ in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.