Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan, one of four new countries added to the CCPI this year, ranks 48th – an overall low performer.

Uzbekistan receives mixed ratings in the four main categories: medium in Energy Use, low in GHG Emissions and Climate Policy, and very low in Renewable Energy.

Renewable energy share is too low…

In 2021, Uzbekistan published its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), in which it commits to reducing specific greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by 35% by 2030 compared with 2010 levels, instead of the 10% in the first NDC.

The government plans to achieve this target by increasing the share of renewable energy in power generation to 25%, prioritizing energy efficiency measures, and expanding renewable energy sources. It’s also scheduled to reduce the carbon intensity of the country’s GDP and introduce energy-effective technologies in key economic sectors, as reported in the Strategy on the Transition of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the ‘Green’ Economy for the Period of 2019-2030.

The strategy also aims to meet Uzbekistan’s growing demand for electricity and ensure further balanced development of the electric power industry while being in line with the Paris Agreement. However, the CCPI country experts indicate that Uzbekistan clearly still has a long way to go. The country continues to strongly rely on natural gas, which is widely used in the economy and frequently runs out, causing massive power outages.

Uzbekistan’s rankings indicate the country’s plans will also pose major challenges. Currently, Uzbekistan is last overall in the Renewable Energy category. Hydropower remains the dominant renewable source in the electricity system, providing 1.85 GW of capacity, with other renewable sources accounting for no more than 1%. Overall, the share of renewable sources, including hydropower, is 8% of the energy balance. Thus, the CCPI experts demand quick follow-up action to the government’s ambitious plans.

… although the country has great solar energy potential

To improve its ranking and make the ‘green transition’ more coherent, Uzbekistan needs to reverse its renewable trend through rapid expansion and set even more ambitious goals. Therefore, the experts also stress that Uzbekistan has great potential in for solar energy. However, the experts still strongly advocate for Uzbekistan’s ambition and legislative approaches.

Overall, the experts demand a progressive expansion of renewable energies and reduced dependence on natural gas.

Key Outcomes

CCPI experts

The following national experts agreed to be mentioned as contributors for this year’s CCPI:

·         Nargis Kosimova (Ecolog)