Path to resilience: Uzbekistan's focus on climate change adaptation reporting

Uzbekistan is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change such as increasing temperatures, water scarcity, land degradation and biodiversity loss. Climate change adaptation is thus crucial for the country.

For this reason, Uzbekistan chose to include the voluntary information related to climate change impacts and adaptation in its first biennial transparency report (BTR) under the Paris Agreement's Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).

On 8 April 2025, a workshop on adaptation activities under the ETF was organized in Tashkent in the context of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded Capacity-Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) national project. The workshop was a joint effort by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Hydrometeorological Service of Uzbekistan (Uzhydromet), the Nature and People Foundation, and Club Vostok.

The workshop was organized because the country requested additional support in adaptation reporting, based on lessons learned while preparing their first BTR, for their Nationally determined contributions (NDC), National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and the next round of BTR reporting.

The event brought together 38 technical experts from the government, development partners, non-governmental organizations, and youth organizations to discuss their vital role in processes related to adaptation reporting.

The workshop aimed to:

• Strengthen the understanding of ETF reporting, particularly for the adaptation component of Uzbekistan’s BTR and NDC.
• Improve institutional coordination among key stakeholders for effective adaptation monitoring.
• Enhance national capacity to track climate risks, adaptation actions and progress using relevant indicators.
• Support Uzbekistan’s preparation for future climate negotiations such as the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COPs).

Highlighting the role of civil society, Sergey Rybakov, General Director of the Foundation Nature and People, stated that:

“Non-profit organizations serve as crucial independent auditors and early responders to environmental challenges. This enables governments and businesses to gain critical time and more accurately assess potential risks and opportunities, leading to more effective action plans.”

Evetta Zenina, Natural Resources Officer at FAO, emphasized the workshop's technical focus and collaborative spirit:

“This workshop was an excellent opportunity to take a deep dive into the technical aspects of adaptation reporting under the Paris Agreement, with valuable inputs from FAO’s global CBIT projects in the Agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) sectors. The active engagement of diverse stakeholders also highlighted how cross-sectoral efforts are essential for tracking adaptation progress effectively.”

Sara Scardavilli, Youth Sector Project Manager for Central Asia at the International Secretariat for Water, highlighted the importance of inclusivity:

“The discussion on the crucial link between water, adaptation, and youth, and how best to engage young people in adaptation reporting, was particularly insightful given that over 60 percent of Uzbekistan’s population is under 30 years old.”

About the CBIT Project in Uzbekistan

The “Capacity-building to establish an integrated and enhanced transparency framework in Uzbekistan to track the national climate actions and support measures received” project aims to strengthen Uzbekistan’s institutional and technical capacities for transparent climate reporting, in alignment with its NDCs and the Paris Agreement. Led by Uzhydromet, and implemented by FAO, the project will enhance the country's ability to collect, monitor, and report climate data in accordance with international standards.

Firuz Safarov, Advisor to the Director of Uzhydromet, underscored the CBIT project's impact:

"The activities of the CBIT project have significantly contributed to building the capacity of experts involved in the climate reporting process as we transition to the ETF of the Paris Agreement. This has directly enabled us to improve our greenhouse gas inventory and prepare our first BTR to a high standard".