Uzbekistan is strengthening measures to protect atmospheric air and reduce pollution levels as part of the national 'Clean Air' initiative. This was reported at a press conference held at the Content Preparation Center for Mass Media under the Presidential Administration.
Representatives of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, Eco-Police, the Research Hydrometeorological Institute, and other structures of the ecological system took part in the event.
Control and Monitoring Measures
According to data from the Ecological Committee, 459 automatic monitoring stations have been installed at industrial enterprises of Category I and II. In Tashkent, 554 enterprises were accounted for, and 186 dust and gas purification units were modernized at 67 of them.
Significant attention is paid to vehicles. Over 280,000 cars underwent environmental checks, which, according to the agency, prevented the emission of 2.52 thousand tons of harmful substances. Additionally, over 2.2 million environmental stickers have been issued across the country.
During Car-Free Days, average daily emissions decrease by almost 50 tons. In Tashkent, automatic sampling has been organized to measure PM2.5 concentration at 10 points, and the online platform Eco-control has been launched.
Construction Requirements and Greening
Environmental requirements also apply to the construction sector. Structures over 12 meters high or with an area exceeding 500 square meters are required to have greenery covering at least 30% of their territory.
A green belt spanning 330 hectares is being created in Tashkent and the Syrdarya region. Another project involves creating a Green Corridor 33 km long along the Small Ring Road.
Results and Plans
The presented data shows that the average concentration of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, in Tashkent decreased by 25% from January 1 to September 21, 2026, compared to the same period in 2025.
In accordance with the national air quality standard, the number of days with good air quality increased from 81 to 147. It is also noted that in the capital, there was a sustained good level of air quality for 30 consecutive days, from April 18 to May 17.
At the press conference, committee representatives answered journalists' questions regarding previous inspections, measures to reduce transport emissions, liability for the absence or improper use of automatic monitoring stations, as well as current and planned environmental protection measures.
By the end of 2026, the Ecological Committee aims to reduce pollutant and transport emissions by 2%, decrease the number of days with PM2.5 exceedances by 7%, equip 40% of construction sites with dust suppression and monitoring systems, and modernize 30% of industrial enterprises.