Implementation in Uzbekistan of the State Program of actions on environment protection for 2008-2010 makes it possible to considerably increase the nature protection.

This was reported at the briefing took place in the State Committee for Nature Protection in Tashkent, addressing the results of implementation of the program. Primarily the environmental safety has been increased, and the use of natural resources turns more rational.

The total cost for the program exceeded 353 billion soums, $ 408 million and 16 thousand euros.

Major industrial enterprises have introduced new, environmentally friendly and low-waste technological productions, emissions polluting the environment significantly reduced.

The Olmaliq Mining and Metallurgical Combine, for example, with the active support of public financial institutions, has implemented the large-scale projects of reconstruction and renovation of technological and transport processes based on the introduction of cutting-edge equipments, new machinery and mechanisms. The country’ leading mining and metallurgical enterprise annually spends $ 1.6 million to protect atmosphere from pollution, $ 1.9 million for water resources protection, and for soil protection - $ 1.6 million. Currently, the enterprise implements fifteen investment projects. Those include the construction of the sulfuric acid plant and melting furnace at the Copper Melting Plant. German companies Outotec Gmbh and Ausmelt have been involved in their implementation. Together with specialists of these companies the project has been working out on reconstruction of the process of copper melting production. Using the experience of the western companies will allow to achieve not only high technical and economic indicators, but also to work in accordance with the European high environmental standards.

The Farghona Refinery was shifted into the production of unleaded gasoline and complete renunciation of the use of lead additives in gasoline. More than 123 thousand cars in the country have started using natural gas. This proved to be eight times more than what was previously planned. As a result, the amount of harmful emissions reduced by 68,000 tons. The electrification of railways of the length of 114 kilometers to Angren has been completed, where the government organizes a special industrial zone.

Among the major events are the conservation of biodiversity and the expansion of protected natural territories. The Ecocenter in Bukhoro region received additional nine thousand hectares land, where has been built the adaptation open-air cage for the rarest species of animals - onagers and Przewalski horses. The program has been developed on creating a network of protected areas in the Republic of Uzbekistan by 2020. Research is underway to assess the population status of the steppe antelope - saiga, at the Ustyurt Plateau to develop activities for the preservation of places of habitation of this specie.

The government places much emphasis on the land reclamation and works on compensation for damage caused by the Aral Sea desiccation.

Measures directed in nature protection are being carried out in close international cooperation. Normative legal base is getting improved. A draft law of the Republic of Uzbekistan On Environmental Control gets prepared, while the scale of environmental learning broadened. (Source: Uzbekistan Today newspaper)