ECO WEEK 2016 KICKS OFF

A gala opening ceremony of Eco Week 2016 devoted to the World Environment Day has been held in the capital city Tashkent. It has turned into a kind of report on the achieved results in the field of environmental activities in our country.

It was noted at the event organized by the State Committee on Nature Protection that Uzbekistan is an active participant in the global environmental policy. The Republic had accepted membership and ratified a number of key international conventions in the sphere of environmental protection and has been effectively implementing them.

A broadband legislative base has been set up in the country during the years of its independence; there are 15 laws in force regulating relations in the field of protection of the environment. Program documents are being elaborated on the efficient utilization of natural resources and creation of favorable ecologic conditions for the population.

The subject of the World Environment Day in 2016 was dedicated to combating illegal trade in wild animals and plants. It has been noted in this connection that Uzbekistan undertakes complex moves for conservation of biological diversity and sustainable use of biological resources. In the ‘90s of the last century, our country acceded to the Conventions on biological diversity and the International Trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora.

The result was an ordered use of animal and plant life and an increased control in this direction. Import and export of these objects are regulated by special permissions issued by the State Committee for Nature Protection and the Academy of Sciences. In addition, joint seminars and raids with the State Customs Committee for Control over import and export of objects of flora and fauna, including the suppression of illegal activities in compliance with the national laws and international conventions are held on a regular basis.

The country has established nurseries for keeping and breeding rare and endangered species of animals. There are 22 nurseries for breeding exotic animals, 19 nurseries for breeding wild animals and thirteen zoos registered to date in this country. The nurseries are breeding such rare species of mammals like Severtsov’s sheep, Bukhara deer, Bukhara mountain sheep, gazelle, wild ass, Przewalski’s horse, representatives of the avifauna – saker falcon and bustard, and plantations are set up for cultivation of wild plants.

Special attention was paid to further improvement of the system of protected natural territories (PNT). Significant qualitative changes have taken in them in recent years. Thus, the total area of the “Adeliya” ecological center noticeably increased and currently make up more than 16,500 hectares. A new for the country type of PNT was set up in 2011 – the Lower Amu-Daryo Biosphere Reserve; the list of state monuments of nature has been replenished on account of such objects as Paykent, Vardanzi, Varakhsha and others; also keeps increasing the number of sanctuaries and forestry enterprises, and five-year action programs on the protection of environment are being implemented in the Republic.

The event participants underlined that favorable conditions were created in Uzbekistan for preservation and increasing the population of rare types of flora and fauna over the years of independence.

The Ecoweek-2016 program of activities was announced at the forum: presentations, exhibitions, conferences, creative and sporting events and environmental activities will be held in different regions of the country. The enterprises of the Republic, which achieved the best results in the sphere of environmental protection and environmental management, were awarded memorable diplomas of the State Committee for Protection of Nature, which also announced the start of national ecology-oriented competitions.

THE NEWSPAPER "UZBEKISTAN TODAY"