During the final conference of the project “Sustainable policy planning in the field of climate change mitigation and adaptation in Uzbekistan”, the “Guidelines for integrated climate change and disaster risk reduction management for local communities and decision-makers in Uzbekistan” were presented.
The two-year project has been implemented by the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments in cooperation with the Uzbekistan’s Nationwide movement “YUKSALISH” since 2023. This was funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia and aims to improve Uzbekistan's sustainable policy planning in the field of climate change by strengthening the capacity of local communities, raising public awareness of the socio-economic impact of climate change and promoting public involvement in decision-making.
The foreseen impact on climate is not the same in all the regions of Uzbekistan, thus there is no single approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation appropriate for every single community in Uzbekistan. The guidelines offer tools for decision makers to assess local climate risks and prepare adaptation actions tailored to local conditions. The target areas - Bukhara and Surkhandarya regions - serve as an example for other regions of Uzbekistan in preparing climate change adaptation plans that set priorities and provide recommendations for planning adaptation measures. The implementers of the project have gladly concluded that the activities have contributed to the preparation of local communities for the risks caused by climate change, as well as succeeded the planning of adaptation measures at local and national level. Based on the outcomes developed by the project’s experts, extensive trainings were organized for the inhabitants of the ecologically disadvantaged regions of Uzbekistan.