Environmental protection drive: Uzbekistan to relocate industrial enterprises from urban centers

Uzbekistan has announced plans to ban the construction of environmentally harmful and energy-intensive industrial enterprises in its capital, Tashkent, as well as in Nukus and other regional centers. Existing facilities in these categories will be gradually relocated, according to a presidential decree draft on implementing the 2025 State Program under the “Uzbekistan – 2030” Strategy. This year has been designated as the Year of Environmental Protection and Green Economy by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Starting May 1, new projects in Tashkent, Nukus, and regional centers that are classified as environmentally hazardous or energy-intensive will no longer be permitted. The prohibited sectors include:

• Asbestos and cement production, as well as waste by-products like sludge and slag;
• Tanning and poultry factories;
• Coal-burning facilities without advanced dust- and gas-filtration systems;
• Plants involved in ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy or the production of glass and chemicals with toxic substances;
• Waste processing and incineration facilities classified under hazard classes I and II.

Relevant ministries and agencies have been tasked with submitting proposals by October 1, 2025, for the phased relocation of existing enterprises from Tashkent, Nukus, and regional centers. This measure aims to reduce environmental pollution in urban areas and align with Uzbekistan’s sustainability goals.

In addition to relocating industrial facilities, the decree includes broader environmental measures to be implemented by the end of 2025. These include:

• Restricting the sale and use of motor fuel that does not meet the Euro-4 emissions standard;
• Prohibiting the use of fuel oil in thermal and power generation facilities, except in emergencies approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.