International mechanisms will be introduced into the environmental assessment system in Uzbekistan.
The new procedures aim to simplify environmental expertise, increase the transparency of processes, and strengthen public participation.
In order to ensure the implementation of the Law "On Environmental Expertise" adopted in a new edition in 2025, new mechanisms for environmental assessment were approved by Resolution No. 234 of the Cabinet of Ministers dated May 11, 2026. The State Environmental Expertise Center reported this.
According to the resolution, new procedures for state environmental expertise and environmental impact assessment will be introduced. In particular, environmental expertise objects, which were previously divided into four categories, will be merged into a single category. This is expected to exempt thousands of small business entities with low environmental impact from unnecessary environmental expertise processes.
The procedure for conducting state environmental expertise through the Unified Interactive State Services Portal is also being established. This will serve to increase openness and transparency in this area.
Additionally, the rights and obligations of participants in environmental expertise, mechanisms for collegial review of disputed issues regarding environmental conclusions, and the legal basis for implementing international obligations under the Paris Agreement, the Basel Convention, and the Convention on Biological Diversity will be introduced.
The new procedures also define mechanisms for conducting public hearings and public environmental expertise. This will serve to expand citizen participation in making environmental decisions and fulfill obligations under the Aarhus Convention.
The resolution also introduces a procedure for rating-based assessment of the activities of design organizations and the issuance of qualification certificates to specialists. This system is aimed at improving the quality of project documentation and reducing the number of projects that do not meet environmental requirements.
According to data, in 2025, state environmental expertise bodies issued 49,620 environmental conclusions, and nearly 700 projects were found not to meet environmental requirements.
It is noted that the introduction of modern international mechanisms into the environmental assessment system will serve to strengthen environmental protection, reduce environmental risks, and ensure sustainable development.
