Leveraging Green Growth for Balanced Spatial Development in Uzbekistan

Project Summary:

The objective of this grant is to support the mainstreaming of inclusive green growth principles in the upcoming urban and spatial development program and demonstration projects in Uzbekistan. Cities and urbanization have played a key role in Uzbekistan’s economic development. To achieve sustainable growth and create needed jobs to accompany it, an integrated approach needs to be put in place to promote efficiency and support the delivery of municipal services. The need for efficient and resilient local services and infrastructure, and the creation of livable and inclusive urban environments are factors urgently needed to cope with current challenges emerging in Uzbekistan. This KGGTF funded program will initiate action at both the institutional and operational levels, with expected mutually reinforcing results. At the institutional level, activity will support policy dialogue on issues of inclusive green urban and spatial development, eventually contributing to the development of a national program for spatial and urban development in Uzbekistan that builds on the principles of inclusive green growth. At the operational level, it will apply a holistic approach to the identification, prioritization, design and implementation of urban services and infrastructure investments that improve livability of medium-size cities demonstrating the application of green growth principles. 

This grant is linked to Lending ($100,000,000)

List of Activities:

1. Greening of the national program for spatial and urban development in Uzbekistan
   1. Support policy dialogue through analytical work on inclusive green urban and spatial development in Uzbekistan
   2. National program for spatial and urban development in Uzbekistan that reflects the principles of inclusive green growth
2. Capacity building and Institutional strengthening 
   1. Awareness and capacity building on inclusive green growth
3. Support to project preparation and early-stage implementation
   1. Support to identification, prioritization and design of demonstration urban services and infrastructure investments that include green growth principles

Outcomes:

Output 1:

• Urban and Spatial Development Strategic Framework for Uzbekistan delivered to GoU, including a Policy Note on Urban and Regional Green Growth and a short programmatic note on Roadmap to GCF

Output 2:

• Agreed Knowledge-Building program including knowledge exchanges/learning events and JIT-TAs 
• Dissemination of best practices

Output 3:

• Investment assessment studies (e.g. pilot infrastructures) and MSCIUD project prepared embedding Green Growth principles
• Enhancement of information data base of urban settlements with ICT, with a particular focus on municipal asset management 

Outcomes:

• Improved efficiency:  Complementary measures to promote smart investments and incite changes in consumer behavior driving efficiency.  For example, a combination of smart urban planning, investments in public transport, pricing policies, ICT and social marketing are needed to ensure public transport is affordable, safe, and effectively reduces congestion, local air pollution and its health impacts, and GHG emissions.    
• Greater resilience:  Promote increased resilience.  A primary focus will be to make cities, transport systems more resilient against risks arising from past development mistakes and a changing climate. This includes smart infrastructure design that is well adapted to a variety of futures, protection against extreme weather events, integrated water resources management and mechanisms to avoid disruptions of urban and transport services in cases of natural disasters.  
• Increased competitiveness: Underpinning the Korean vision of green growth is the notion that a focus on green sustainability need not come at the expense of growth and that greening can also be a source of increased competitiveness.  This is particularly true for transport and urban policies where substantial synergies exist between environment, energy efficiency and growth objectives.

Collaboration with K-Partners and Others:

• Korean Research Institute for Human Settlements (KRIHS)
• Korean Cadastral Survey Corporation (LX)
• AFD, the French Development Agency and the EU for additional funding
• UNESCO for the cultural heritage and tourism overview