The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) serves as the implementing agency for the restoration initiative in Uzbekistan. The Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change (MEEPCC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are responsible for project execution. Local communities are engaged in restoration activities and will benefit from improved livelihoods and access to basic services. The private sector is involved in developing financing mechanisms and supporting market development. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is partnering on the restoration of strategically important lands and ecosystems, including areas along the Parkent canal that are vital for irrigation protection.
GEF grants
co-funding
Uzbekistan is focusing on restoring forests, rangelands, and protected areas that are essential for biodiversity, carbon storage, and local livelihoods. These ecosystems have been degraded by poor land management and climate change. The project aims to strengthen restoration through integrated planning, institutional coordination, and community engagement.
The project will increase cross-sectoral capacity to improve coherence across ecosystem restoration policies and frameworks. This includes strengthening governance and institutional coordination to support integrated planning and implementation at national and local levels.
Restoration measures will be implemented with local stakeholder engagement, focusing on degraded lands and rangelands. The project will enhance pasture management governance and provide incentives for communities to participate in restoring and managing these landscapes.
Efforts will also target the restoration and effective management of protected areas. The project will engage private sector partners to support biodiversity-friendly, nature-based businesses that contribute to restoration goals.
To sustain restoration efforts, the project will develop innovative financing mechanisms and promote knowledge sharing. This includes capacity building, national and sub-regional workshops, and engagement with regional and global platforms on integrated land and ecosystem management.
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