In its landlocked state, Uzbekistan faces a lifelong threat of desertification and droughts. This arid country consists of only 10% cultivated land in river valleys, with the rest being mostly dry, sandy desert, and biodiversity loss is having a major impact on habitats and natural ecosystems throughout these landscapes. Both human activities, such as transhumance, agriculture, and industry, and changing hydrological and climate conditions are adversely affecting Uzbekistan’s flora and fauna. Most notable is the degradation of aquatic and waterside ecosystems throughout the country. The Aral Sea faces increasing drought, which leads the Karakalpakstan region to endure poorer public health. Desertification, poor water quality, and pesticide use escalate “rates of diseases such as tuberculosis, infections and parasites, typhus, hepatitis and paratyphoid dramatically increased”.
Uzbekistan has made efforts to combat biodiversity losses with its adoption of its own NBSAP (National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans). Officials have looked into embracing ecotourism to invite tourists to visit “villages in the Nuratau Mountains, the Zaamin Nature Park, the Zarafshan Nature Reserve, the “Djeiran” Ecological Center and Lake Tudaku”, which would diversify their tourism sector economically and hopefully raise awareness for biodiversity struggles the country is facing. They have also worked on demonopolization and privatization of the fishing industry in an attempt to maintain fishing resources and habitat.
Despite this, Uzbekistan could greatly intensify environmental protection efforts. In relying heavily on their “oil and gas industry, chemical industry, unsustainable water resources management and waste disposal”, Uzbekistan trades away the preservation of natural ecosystems.
https://www.cbd.int/countries/profile/?country=uz
http://www.columbia.edu/~tmt2120/the%20future.htm