What efforts are being made for environmental education and outreach to the public

In recent years Uzbekistan has attached great importance to environmental issues and sustainable development. One of the key areas in this area is raising environmental awareness among the population. As part of this approach, Uzbekistan is actively implementing environmental education measures.

Article 4 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Nature Protection" notes the compulsory nature protection education in all types of educational institutions. Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan RCM-№434 of 27 May 2019 "On approval of the regulation on the procedure for granting subsidies to livestock, poultry and fish farms for the products grown and sold by them" approved the Concept of development of environmental education in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The task of the Concept is to form and develop environmental knowledge, consciousness and culture in the younger generation, effective organisation of environmental education and training process, further improvement of science in the field of ecology with the use of advanced and innovative technologies.

For example, the basic programme "Bolajon" is used in preschool educational institutions, which is focused on awakening children's first ideas about the preservation and protection of native nature, and on expanding the topics of nature conservation, ecology and environmental protection. The "Environmental Child" programme is being introduced in preschool educational establishments to ensure that the thematic and practical environmental education activities defined in the programme are fully implemented. As part of a joint project of the Ministry of Preschool Education and the Environmental Resource Centre of the NGO Ecomaktab, with the support of the Project Co-ordinator of the OSCE Office in Uzbekistan, a partial programme entitled "The Earth is our common home" has been developed for preschool educational institutions on environmental education and upbringing (Voluntary National Survey II on the implementation of the national sustainable development goals and objectives of Uzbekistan up to 2030).

The educational programmes for the middle, senior and preparatory school groups are aimed at forming ideas about inanimate and animate nature. Familiarisation with animate and inanimate nature takes place during walks. In rethinking topics, special attention is paid to the protection and conservation of endangered and rare species of flora and fauna. The educational programmes of preschool institutions are enriched with such concepts as environmental protection and household waste disposal.

Environmental non-governmental non-profit organisations (NGOs) in Uzbekistan are the main driving force behind non-formal and formal environmental education programmes and activities for sustainable development.

The Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan, the Ecoforum of Uzbekistan, the Ecosan International Foundation, the Association of Volunteers of Uzbekistan, the Society for the Protection of Birds of Uzbekistan, the Ekomaktab Environmental Resource Centre, and Ekolog.uz are the main NGOs involved in raising public awareness of environmental issues and protecting the environment. The following NGOs take part in the implementation of environmental programmes and projects: Union for the Protection of the Aral and Amu Darya, Logos, Zaravshan, For an Ecologically Clean Fergana, Salomatlik Plus Ecology, Jonli Tabiat, Shokhimardonobod Suv, Orzu, KRASS and Eco-Tib.

Environmental NGOs work in the fields of ecology and environmental protection, environmental education, environmental journalism, promotion of public participation in environmental activities, dissemination of environmental information, sustainable development, climate change, mountain development, biodiversity conservation, water use and gender equality in natural resource management. A peculiarity of the organisation of public participation in environmental protection in Uzbekistan is the presence of one large public organisation - the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan, which has territorial branches in all regions of the country. In January 2019, representatives of the Ecological Movement established a political party, the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan (National Environmental Report, 2023).

At the 21st session of the Committee to Review the Implementation of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification - CRIC-21, which was held at the Samarkand Silk Road Convention Centre, from 13 to 17 November 2023, more than 700 participants, including delegates from member countries of the convention, as well as 35 international organizations, 28 intergovernmental organizations, 74 NGOs, as well as invited students and volunteers, considered challenges and opportunities in the implementation of strategic objectives on sustainable land management and drought resilience, support to leaders of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought. About 40 awareness programmes on desertification and drought were conducted by international partners and stakeholders during CRIC-21. They served to publicise the work on a global scale and provided an opportunity for specialists to discuss and voice their expert opinions and forecasts.

The nationwide «Yashil Makon» project is also a good example in the role of the public. The large-scale nationwide «Yashil Makon» programme was initiated by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2021 and provides for the annual planting of 200 million trees and shrubs until 2030. As a result, the area of green spaces in cities is expected to increase from the current 8% to 30%, and the forest cover of the state forest fund is expected to increase from 7.5% to 15%.

During the past period, about 500.0 hectares of green parks, 935 hectares of green zones, 6,179.2 hectares of green public parks and green belts around the cities of Bukhara, Nukus, Khiva and Urgench, with a total length of 40 kilometres, have been created as part of the nationwide Yashil Makon project.

In 2023, 219.7 million saplings of fruit and ornamental trees and shrubs were planted as part of the systematic organisation of work on the development of green areas. Around 189 industrial enterprises with high environmental impact, 2.83 million seedlings were planted, "green belts" with 220,000 tree seedlings were created, 196 waste collection points were organised, and arboretums were created around them.

On a regular basis, the Ministry of Ecology, with the assistance of the Information and Mass Communications Agency attached to the Office of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and with the involvement of the media and the public, holds briefings, press conferences and round tables on topical aspects of environmental protection.

The focus is on air pollution and protection, and activities are being undertaken to address air quality issues (Strategic Environmental Assessment, 2023):

• The campaign "Car-Free Day!". The aim of this action is to reduce the environmental impact of motor transport and to promote cycling for a healthy lifestyle.
• "European Mobility Week in Uzbekistan" - a campaign to improve the environment. It is organised by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Uzbekistan. It encourages people to switch to environmentally friendly modes of transport, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

Activities to promote water conservation and explore the linkages between water management, biodiversity and climate change. Specific examples can be given (National State of the Environment Report, 2023):

• "International Day of the Amu Darya River", "International Day of the Syr Darya River". As part of the events, various contests of drawings, essays and video clips on water protection topics, races, etc. are organised for schoolchildren and youth, for example, a round table dedicated to the International Day of the Amudarya River is organised.
• Under the auspices of the Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the mobile application "Tomchi" (drop) was created in 2018 under the "National Project on Water Resources Management in Uzbekistan" funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

Climate change awareness and communication efforts include the following examples (First Biennial Update Report 2021):

• Uzbekistan is a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and in accordance with Article 6 of the Convention - "Education, Training and Public Awareness" - has a number of obligations under the UNFCCC, in particular to ensure public access to information on climate change and its impacts. In 2018, the work on adaptation and implementation of the "Climate Box", a training manual developed by UNDP in 2014, started in the republic.
• The "Climate Box" kit was adapted within the framework of the joint UNDP and Adaptation Fund project "Climate Resilience of Farmers and Dekhkan Farms in the Drylands of Uzbekistan" funded by the Russian Federation, in close cooperation with Uzgidromet and the Republican Education Centre of the MPE To implement the project in Uzbekistan, the Republican Education Centre has developed a training manual for teachers of general education schools and methodologists of national education departments. Pilot testing of the manual was carried out in three schools in the city of Tashkent. 

Environmental education and advocacy are becoming an integral part of global efforts to protect the environment. Involvement of all segments of society, from preschoolers to professionals, the use of modern technologies and support at the state level all contribute to the formation of environmentally responsible behaviour. Only through increased environmental literacy and the active participation of each of us can we achieve a sustainable future for our planet.