"Entrepreneurs mastering green skills is crucial for sustainable economic growth in Uzbekistan," states the Business School.

In Uzbekistan, the transition to a green economy and ensuring sustainable economic growth are among the key priorities of the country's long-term policy.

This is justified by the fact that Uzbekistan faces serious environmental and climate risks that directly affect the economy and highlight the importance of developing environmentally-oriented competencies among entrepreneurs. For instance, since 1880, the average annual temperature in the country has risen by 1.6 degrees, exceeding global averages, and by the 2090s, an increase of 4.8 degrees is forecasted. The issue of water resources is becoming increasingly pressing in the country. Over the past 20 years, water availability per capita has halved from 3000 cubic meters to 1500 cubic meters.

These environmental and climate challenges underscore the necessity for Uzbekistan's entrepreneurs to actively develop "green" skills, which include the ability to assess environmental risks, implement resource-efficient technologies, and develop viable business models. Only by possessing such competencies can entrepreneurs not only adapt to changing conditions but also make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of the country.

These skills are particularly important in the context of climate change and the increasing global efforts to mitigate it, with countries increasingly turning to mechanisms for cross-border carbon regulation. For example, starting from October 1, 2023, the European Union has implemented a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) that requires importers of certain products into the EU to report on their carbon footprint. From 2026, importers will start paying taxes on emissions generated during the production of goods.

This presents new challenges for Uzbek exporters, requiring them to have knowledge of accounting for and reducing the carbon footprint of their products, as well as the ability to adapt to new international trade rules. Entrepreneurs must be prepared for similar mechanisms to be introduced by other trading partners of Uzbekistan, especially key importers such as Russia, China, Kazakhstan, and Turkey. As of 2023, these countries accounted for 35% of Uzbekistan's total export volume.

A significant step in this direction is the adoption of the presidential decree of the Republic of Uzbekistan on "Measures to Enhance the Effectiveness of Reforms Aimed at Transitioning the Republic of Uzbekistan to a 'Green' Economy by 2030," which outlines a program for transitioning to a "green" economy and ensuring "green" growth in Uzbekistan by 2030.

In particular, recognizing the importance of social awareness of the need to adapt to climate change, the Program for Transitioning to a "Green" Economy by 2030 identifies the inclusion of "green" economy topics in the relevant curricula of educational organizations as one of its priority directions, which will help raise the ecological culture of the population alongside the economic one.

Additionally, the presidential decree of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. UP-101 dated April 8, 2022, "On Further Reforms to Create Conditions for Stable Economic Growth by Improving the Business Environment and Developing the Private Sector," sets the task of accelerating the transformation and privatization of state-involved enterprises and commercial banks, stimulating the increase of qualitatively new investments particularly based on the principles of Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) and high-efficiency production technologies by reducing the share of inefficiently functioning enterprises in the economy.

To achieve these objectives, significant attention has been given to workforce training. For instance, starting from the 2022-2023 academic year, Uzbekistan has begun training specialists in green economy at institutions such as the Central Asian University for Environmental Studies and Climate Change (Green University) and the Higher School of Business and Entrepreneurship.

The Higher School, as a leading educational institution for training qualified and modern business managers, places a strong emphasis on providing students with more practical and necessary business knowledge.

In particular, the Higher School has implemented a series of initiatives to enhance "green" skills among entrepreneurs: starting from the 2022-2023 academic year, a course on "Green Economy and Sustainable Development" has been included in the Global Management training program, which has received numerous positive reviews from participants.

Moreover, by the presidential decree No. UP-269 dated December 21, 2022, "On Measures for the Implementation of Administrative Reforms in New Uzbekistan," a project office named "Promotion and Implementation of Green Economy" has been established at the Higher School of Business and Entrepreneurship, with one of its tasks being the training and qualification enhancement of management personnel through the organization of short-term courses.

The project office has already accomplished significant work. In particular, a training program for short-term courses on "Transition to a Green Economy and Ensuring Green Growth" has been developed, within the framework of which 36 employees from local authorities and 46 employees from ministries and departments have undergone training in the first phase.

In turn, to further enhance the "green" skills of entrepreneurs in accordance with international requirements, courses on the application of ESG standards and the training of specialists in this field are being developed.

Thus, only by possessing the knowledge and skills necessary for the successful development of companies amid the green transformation of the global economy can entrepreneurs adapt to changing conditions and business rules, as well as maintain competitiveness in international markets amidst tightening global climate regulations.

Paid advertisement.