Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 27 November 2024 – The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) held a series of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) training sessions on June 27, August 16, and November 27-28, aimed to enhance the capacity of national stakeholders to integrate environmental considerations into decision-making processes.
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is an essential procedure needed to ensure that environmental and sustainability considerations are integrated into the early stages of policy, plan, and program development. It helps identify potential negative environmental impacts prior to decision–making, allowing authorities to make more informed choices to avoid unwanted outcomes. SEA is crucial for promoting sustainable development and keeping ecosystems safe, especially in rapidly developing sectors such as tourism. That is why, GGGI is executing a ‘Support for the Realization of a Pilot Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)’ project funded by AFD, aimed at equipping the local stakeholders with the knowledge on proper ways of SEA implementation through a demonstration on the example of Free Touristic Zone “Charvak” (FTZ “Charvak”).
The first training session, held on June 27, introduced participants to the fundamental concepts of SEA. Attendees from the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, local governments, and environmental agencies were provided with an explanation of SEA’s purpose, its legal frameworks, and its significance in eco-friendly planning. Through a combination of presentations and exercises, participants learned how to define SEA, navigate international and national legislation, and engage key stakeholders in Uzbekistan.
The second and third training sessions, both conducted on August 16, shifted focus toward the practical implementation of SEA. These sessions provided a deeper dive into procedural steps, including scoping, impact assessment, and mitigation measures. The training also introduced the last stage of SEA, quality control and monitoring processes, which is critical for ensuring SEA’s eventual effectiveness. Participants, including representatives from the Center for Ecological Expertise, Ugam Chatkal National Park, and a number of universities, engaged in group exercises that required the participants to evaluate how SEA was necessary for specific case studies provided in the training. These team exercises emphasized that in order to ensure the success of SEA initiatives, there needs to be strong collaboration among governmental bodies, environmental agencies, and local communities.
“In accordance with the decision of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures to effectively organize the activities of the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change” No. PQ-171, the task of coordinating the system of state environmental expertise with international requirements includes the effective implementation of pilot projects on Strategic Environmental Assessment. That is why, GGGI’s AFD-funded Pilot SEA project is very helpful when it comes to equipping the stakeholders with knowledge on the SEA and its implementation,” said Mr. Bobur Abduraufov, Chief specialist of Center for Ecological Expertise under the Ministry of Ecology, Enviromental Protection and Climate Change.
On 27-28 November, GGGI conducted a new round of trainings! This time though, the trainings targeted the staff of the Center for Ecological Expertise, which will be the governmental body to carry out SEAs. Thus, the SEA training series, supported by Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and aligned with Uzbekistan’s policies, is a crucial step toward building long-term environmental resilience. By enhancing the understanding and application of SEA among stakeholders, GGGI is helping to ensure that sustainable development remains a priority of Uzbekistan’s future planning processes.
About Pilot SEA Project:
On 15 February 2023, GGGI and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) signed an agreement to promote sustainable development through the SEA project. The project is assessing the Free Tourist Zone (FTZ) Charvak masterplan which considers three policies at both national (Decree No. DP-5611) and regional levels (Decree No. PF-5273 and the Decision of the Cabinet of Ministers, on measures to organize the activities of the FTZ “Charvak). The project consists of four phases, the first two (Screening and Scoping) have already been completed. The third phase, the implementation of the SEA Study, is currently under development by Civitta, a consulting firm, while GGGI is supporting additional data collection and project fulfillment.
For more information, visit the project webpage: Pilot SEA project
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