Policy Brief: Green Recovery and
the Transition to Green Economy in Uzbekistan
Executive Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly slowed or contracted economic growth for most countries and
halted, or in some cases significantly reversed, progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
For Uzbekistan, GDP growth in 2020 was all but erased and poverty levels increased for the first time in two
decades.
This paper, developed by the United Nations Development Programme,
presents a framework for
COVID-19 recovery by “building forward better,” towards the development of a “green economy.” It provides
an overview of green recovery and economy principles and key sectors which have the potential for ‘greening’ -
including energy, agriculture, industry, waste, water resources, urban development (with a focus on housing and
construction), transport and finance - and suggests a set of priority directions
and policy measures for
discussion.
The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan has been taking important steps to remediate the effects
of COVID-19 on the economy and public health.
Its investment decisions and actions over the next three to
five years aim to define a long-term development trajectory which will build the resilience of the country to
future threats, including climatic and non-climatic shocks. A
doption of the “
Strategy for the transition of the
Republic of Uzbekistan to a Green Economy in the period of 2019-2030
”
recognized green economy as a key
strategic area for long-term sustainable development and identified priority areas for 'greening'.
While the country’s
2017-2021 Action Strategy
sets out a clear vision for Uzbekistan’s development,
