Transition to sustainable environmental development

Today, many countries are radically reassessing their policies as they transition from the traditional model, where environmental protection is seen as a burden on the economy, to a driver of sustainable environmental development—a green alternative.

According to available data, 34 billion tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere annually, while the total greenhouse gas emissions amount to 41 billion tons. These figures have increased 3.8 times compared to the 1950s. Furthermore, the limited and declining resources of hydrocarbon energy sources highlight the need for measures to develop alternative energy, an urgent and critical task. In this context, the widespread adoption of renewable energy sources is rapidly advancing globally. The total installed capacity of devices using renewable energy sources (RES) reached 3,372 gigawatts in 2022, increasing to 3,700 GW by 2023. This includes a 21 GW increase in hydropower, 75 GW in wind energy, 191 GW in solar energy, 7.6 GW in bioenergy, and 181 MW in geothermal energy.

As of the end of 2024, the total capacity of renewable energy devices worldwide is 4,600 GW. Last year, China achieved record results in this area, increasing solar energy capacity by 18 percent and wind energy capacity by 45 percent.

Today, as energy demand grows, many developed countries (the United States, Japan, China, the United Kingdom, and several European nations) are experiencing energy shortages.

In our country, 81 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity are produced annually. Considering the rapid economic growth (GDP is increasing by 5-6 percent on average) and a population increase of 700-800 thousand people annually, the demand for energy sources is also growing proportionally. According to our estimates, by 2030, the energy demand will reach at least 125-130 billion kilowatt-hours per year. In such conditions, within the framework of reforms in state and public construction, which are being carried out in Uzbekistan step by step, goals are set for an accelerated transition to a green economy and the effective achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The development of renewable energy sources plays a key role in Uzbekistan’s energy sector. Our country has unprecedented natural resources, so large-scale work is being done to implement RES. A legal framework in the field of alternative energy has been established. In 2019, the law "On the Use of Renewable Energy Sources" was adopted, along with important and conceptual decrees and resolutions by the President.

As a result of systematic efforts, by 2024, the total capacity of renewable energy sources in the republic reached 4,500 MW, and their share in the overall energy sector amounted to 16 percent. In just the past year, nearly one billion cubic meters of natural gas was saved through renewable energy, preventing the release of 1.4 million tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

According to the "Uzbekistan 2030" strategy, the country plans to increase the share of renewable energy sources to 40 percent of total electricity production by 2030. At the same time, the following measures must be implemented to ensure energy security:

• Further diversification of the energy sector;

• Introduction of new types of advanced alternative energy, including the widespread use of efficient and environmentally friendly hydrogen fuel (the advantage of hydrogen as a fuel is that its combustion produces not only environmentally clean water vapor but also more energy than organic fuels; burning one ton of hydrogen generates the same amount of heat as burning 3.5 tons of organic fuel);

• Certain facilities should be switched to autonomous (local) electricity supply systems, as energy losses during transmission over long distances average 18 percent;

• Widespread localization of the production of solar panels and wind turbines;

• Accelerated promotion of research to improve the efficiency of renewable energy use;

• Large-scale installation of solar collectors (vacuum collectors are suitable for our climate) for heating and hot water;

• Inventory of energy-intensive technologies, as our energy consumption per unit of production is 2-3 times higher than in developed countries;

• Improvement of the efficiency of landfill gas utilization from waste;

• Formation of a culture of rational electricity and heat energy consumption among the population.

It is important for people to believe in the results of reforms in the energy sector. At the same time, it is necessary to foster a responsible attitude in society and the state toward the consumption of natural resources, which are limited, and their careful use.

We must not forget the simple fact: wasted energy leads to shortages elsewhere.

Bory Alihanov,
Narimon Umarov,
Members of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan.