Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — An international training workshop on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is being held in Tashkent on 23–24 April. The event is supported by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The training is organized as part of two international initiatives: the GIZ project “Enhancing Regional and/or Sectoral Development Plans Based on SEA in the Aral Sea Region (Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan)” and the OSCE project “Strengthening Capacities and Co-operation in SEA in Central Asia — Phase II.”

Participants include representatives from international organizations, government bodies, sectoral specialists, experts from the State Center for Environmental Expertise, and independent regional experts.

The main goal of the event is to thoroughly explore the legal, methodological, and practical aspects of SEA, its key role in sustainable development and strategic planning, and to share international experience in the field.

Special attention was given to the results of pilot projects implemented in the Republic of Karakalpakstan and the Khorezm region. These initiatives have been highly praised as important steps toward integrating environmental considerations into regional governance and development systems.

The training program includes hands-on sessions, thematic roundtables, and discussion panels aimed at experience exchange. Participants emphasized that such events provide a valuable platform for testing SEA approaches and methodologies, as well as promoting the integration of environmental factors into regional and sectoral strategies.

In his address to participants, Director of the State Center for Environmental Expertise Gayrat Mukhamedov highlighted the importance of the new Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Environmental Expertise, Environmental Impact Assessment, and Strategic Environmental Assessment,” adopted on February 24 this year. The law introduces key concepts into legal practice, such as strategic environmental assessment, carbon footprint, public participation in environmental governance, and transboundary impact — opening new prospects for systematic environmental reforms.

Deputy Director Vyacheslav Shisyan, in his presentation, focused on the key aspects of the new legislation. He addressed the importance of legal regulation in the SEA sphere, current environmental challenges facing the capital and the Ugam-Chatkal National Park, international protocols and standards, and practical mechanisms for integrating SEA into territorial planning and environmental rating systems.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Uzbekistan’s strategic priorities in environmental safety and sustainable development, while emphasizing the importance of continued professional exchange and capacity building in the field of SEA.