The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $250 million policy-based loan to support the Government of Uzbekistan’s efforts to strengthen institutional frameworks for climate transition, and accelerate climate change mitigation actions, the bank said.
The Accelerating the Climate Transition Program will support the government of Uzbekistan in three reform areas:
- strengthening institutions and public financial management;
- enhancing climate resilience in water and land resources management, agriculture, and social protection systems;
- accelerating transition to a low-carbon economy in sectors such as transport and energy.
“The program prioritizes decarbonization of the economy and resilience to disasters and climate change while supporting vulnerable populations,” ADB director general for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov said.
“Uzbekistan is among the most energy-intensive economies globally, so the program will support the government’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 35% by 2030. The reductions will be pursued by promoting renewable energy and improving energy efficiency,” he added.
“Uzbekistan's water resources are under acute threat from climate change and inefficient usage,” ADB country director for Uzbekistan Kanokpan Lao-Araya noted. “This program supports the enabling legislation for investments in irrigation modernization and climate-smart water management to safeguard water security and combat the accelerating desertification that endangers fragile ecosystems”.
“The program was designed to increase the government’s capacity to tackle complex climate change challenges through enhanced policy coordination, targeted allocation of budget resources and strengthened monitoring and accountability for climate related expenditures and indicators,” ADB principal public sector specialist Hanif Rahemtulla explained.
