“All our reforms are long-term; the area that delivered quick results is ecology” – Saida Mirziyoyeva

According to Mirziyoyeva, protecting the environment is not solely the responsibility of enterprises; ordinary citizens must also contribute. Responsibility, she stressed, begins with each individual. For measures in this area to be sustainable over the long term, ecology must become a habit and part of everyday culture.

In the interview, Mirziyoyeva reiterated that many of the reforms currently underway are designed for the long term and need time before results become visible. She emphasized that in recent months, environmental initiatives have been among the fastest and most visibly effective. After environmental conditions worsened in Tashkent, all available resources were mobilized to take urgent action, and the president gave a “green light” for the necessary decisions. “That very night, we received approval for everything we needed,” she said.

Following that, the approach to environmental protection was elevated to a higher level, Mirziyoyeva noted. The activity of responsible agencies was intensified, and oversight shifted to a stricter control regime. She said raids and inspections were used to ensure compliance with environmental requirements, producing noticeable improvements in a short time. In her view, even short-term results are possible when actions are systematic and implementation is firm.

Mirziyoyeva placed particular emphasis on the role of business in ensuring environmental sustainability. Enterprises, she said, must install filters and comply with standards, regardless of whether they are state-owned or private. “Ecology is culture,” she stressed – meaning it should be understood as a culture of operations, responsibility, and duty to the public. She added that along with penalties and oversight, proper explanation and clear communication of requirements are essential.

She also touched on transport-related issues, noting that environmental measures linked to automobiles are under consideration. In her view, responsibility does not rest only with enterprises; ordinary citizens must also play their part. Referring to the COVID period, she said air quality improved and nature “recovered,” showing that environmental problems are solvable.

Drawing on her personal life, Mirziyoyeva said she applies an environmentally conscious approach at home as well. She avoids excessive heating, emphasizing the importance of saving energy and not becoming accustomed to unnecessary warmth. According to her, 21–23 degrees is the most optimal temperature for human health, and maintaining it is both economically and environmentally sound. “Children also become more resilient,” she said, citing examples from Europe and Korea, where heating culture is different – in some places stairwells are not heated, and households strictly practice energy efficiency. She added that Uzbekistan can also draw lessons from this experience.

Mirziyoyeva concluded that for environmental measures to be sustainable in the long term, ecology must become a habit and part of daily culture. This process, she said, does not happen overnight but develops step by step, while decisive actions taken today lay the groundwork for results in the future.