The Green Nation Initiative of Uzbekistan
In November 2021, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev launched an ambitious new initiative, called “Yashil Makon”(Green Nation), that aims to plant 1 billion trees and shrubs across the country over the next five years, increasing the green spaces in cities from the current 8 to 30 percent. The project will help improve air and soil quality, increase climate resilience, and may even help avoid or reverse desertification in some parts of the country. It will also contribute to the country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent per unit of GDP within the next decade.
The Green Nation initiative was extremely well received by the public. Within days of the announcement, many citizens and local organizations were mobilized to participate in planting seedlings. According to the presidential press service, 85 million saplings were planted before the end of 2021, with an additional 125 million seedlings taking root in the spring.
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