A high-level dialogue was held in Tashkent focused on strengthening the capacity of cities to withstand the consequences of climate change and natural disasters. The event was organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the National Committee of Uzbekistan on Ecology and Climate Change, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Uzbekistan, and the Ministry of Land Resources, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan (MLIT).
The meeting took place within the framework of two regional UNDP projects aimed at increasing the resilience of Central Asian cities to disaster risks and climate change, as well as strengthening the regional disaster risk reduction system. These projects are implemented with the support of the Government of Japan.
Representatives from state agencies of Uzbekistan and Japan, international organizations, and experts participated in the event. Discussions focused on integrating disaster risk assessment and climate adaptation into urban planning processes.
Aziz Abdukhakimov, Advisor to the President on Ecology and Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, emphasized the need for further development of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Japan in the areas of disaster risk reduction, early warning systems, and sustainable urban development. He noted that Uzbekistan is gradually implementing air quality monitoring systems, green infrastructure, early warning mechanisms, and urban planning approaches that take into account natural hazards.
It was determined that developing resilient infrastructure, early warning systems, and advanced environmental technologies represents promising areas for joint work with Japanese companies and technical specialists.
Hajime Sasaki, State Minister of MLIT Japan, stated Japan's readiness to share its experience, technologies, and public-private partnership practices with Uzbekistan regarding disaster risk reduction. During the dialogue, participants reviewed international experience and modern methods for ensuring seismic safety, flood preparedness, and risk-oriented urban planning.
Japanese specialists presented practical solutions for emergency response, while representatives from Uzbekistan outlined national strategies and measures being taken, including those in Tashkent and Namangan.
Khursid Sotiev, Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations of Uzbekistan, stressed that developing early warning systems, improving seismic safety, and implementing risk-oriented approaches to urban planning are directly linked to ensuring public safety. He reported that the ministry is ready to support initiatives in these areas and expand practical interaction.
Kenji Hirata, the Japanese Ambassador to Uzbekistan, noted that reducing disaster risks, enhancing urban resilience, and combating climate change are recognized as important areas of cooperation under the 'Central Asia plus Japan' format. Special attention is paid to the city of Namangan.
According to Akiko Fuji, UNDP representative in Uzbekistan, the first profile of climate and natural risks for this city was developed as part of a joint initiative. This tool is intended to help more effectively integrate climate and natural threats into urban development planning.
UNDP also highlighted the growing importance of urban infrastructure resilience amid ongoing urbanization and the need to protect the population from the consequences of natural catastrophes and climate change. The dialogue concluded with the development of recommendations for strengthening institutional capacity, improving early warning systems, and further developing regional cooperation in disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation. Participants emphasized the importance of continuing knowledge and technology exchange between Uzbekistan and Japan to create a safer and more sustainable urban environment in Uzbekistan and Central Asia.
India is actively positioning itself as a global leader in the field of clean energy, where the transition to non-fossil fuel energy sources is significantly accelerating due to the key role of green hydrogen. By the end of December 2025, the share of non-fossil sources in India's installed capacity reached 51.93 percent, exceeding India's second Nationally Determined Contribution target.
According to IRENA data on renewable energy statistics for 2025, India ranks fourth globally in total installed renewable energy capacity. Furthermore, the country's energy transition is closely linked to its development needs, as it has not yet reached peak energy demand, and energy availability, acceptability, and security remain central elements of its development strategy.
India's development strategy combines the growth of renewable energy, increased energy efficiency, the use of nuclear energy, green hydrogen, carbon sinks and carbon markets, as well as industrial competitiveness and job creation.
Green hydrogen has become an important component of this strategy because it can support decarbonization in sectors where direct electrification may be insufficient. Serving as both a fuel and an industrial raw material, its production using renewable energy allows for the replacement of fossil fuel-derived components in oil refining, fertilizer production, metallurgy, and other hard-to-decarbonize industries. Additionally, it helps reduce emissions in long-haul vehicles, rail transport, and maritime vessels; Indian Railways recently demonstrated the capability to operate trains on hydrogen.
The central policy for scaling up this potential is enshrined in the National Green Hydrogen Mission. This mission links the energy transition with industrial policy and external economic opportunities, aiming for the annual production of 5 million metric tons of green hydrogen by 2030. A production capacity of 862,000 tons per year has already been allocated to 18 companies, and 15 firms have been awarded electrolyzer production capacity of 3,000 MW per year. Three green hydrogen hubs have also been identified: at the Port Administration of Diendayal in Gujarat, the Port Administration of Vo Chidambaranar in Tamil Nadu, and the Port Administration of Paradip in Odisha.
The sectoral focus is aimed at integrating green hydrogen into specific industrial scenarios. In the fertilizer sector, a cumulative procurement requirement of 7.24 lakh (724,000) metric tons of green ammonia per year at a price of 55.75 rupees ($9.46) per kilogram is specified. In oil refining, green hydrogen is used to reduce the industry's carbon footprint, while in metallurgy, five pilot projects involving public and private producers are testing the application of green hydrogen for iron reduction and other technological processes in India.
India's green hydrogen strategy has a clear international direction, as the country intends to utilize voluntary cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. This is highly significant as green hydrogen is expected to become part of future clean energy trade. Thus, India's efforts not only meet domestic decarbonization needs but also allow the country to participate in shaping the rules, markets, and supply chains of the future low-carbon global economy.
India is also promoting its participation in emerging international hydrogen platforms and partnerships. In 2024, the country presented its India Pavilion for the first time at the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam. Cooperation is expanding within the EU-India Trade and Technology Council, where over 30 joint proposals for hydrogen production from waste have been received. India and the UK are working on hydrogen standardization, while work is underway with Germany on market mechanisms and joint tender design for exports. Moreover, Indian companies have signed long-term offtake agreements with Japanese companies for green ammonia and green methanol.
India is at the forefront of promoting solar energy in Global South countries, not only through its advocacy but also through the demonstration effect of its own actions. Its proactive steps regarding green hydrogen could have a similarly strong positive impact on Global South nations.
An environmental organization expressed the view that extending the operational life of Almarasa could set a dangerous precedent. Javier Andaluz, who is responsible for climate and energy issues in this organization, stated that such an extension is a 'betrayal and fraud against citizenship,' which will lead to higher costs in the medium and long term while slowing down the inevitable energy transition.
In its statement, Andaluz noted that the Madrid government is opening the 'gates to a nuclear Trojan horse' for the 'continuation of a radioactive business that is becoming increasingly dependent on public funds to operate.'
The environmental group also questioned the procedure used to approve the extension, arguing that the Nuclear Safety Council report is limited to analyzing the license issuance, without addressing the inspection and control of the plant or compliance with commitments made in 2020.
Therefore, eco-activists believe that this decision could provide grounds for other plants, such as Asco 1 and Cofrentes, to demand similar action, warning that such a situation could ultimately 'block the agreed closure of nuclear power plants.'
The Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenges extended the operating license for Units I and II of the Almarasa Nuclear Power Plant until June 2030, according to a decree published today. This decision concludes a process that began in October 2025 when the three plant owners—Iberdrola, Endesa, and Naturgy—agreed to formally request the extension.
A gradual closure was planned for the two reactors operating since the early 1980s: the initial deadline for Unit I was set for November 1, 2027, and for Unit II for October 31, 2028, in accordance with the protocol established by the energy companies.
The organization Ecologistas em Ação emphasized that this decision will have consequences for the entire nuclear park and for radioactive waste management, an issue that, in the organization's view, remains unanswered. Anti-nuclear activist Paca Blanco stated that the situation 'dooms the future of the entire territory, which will coexist with nuclear waste from the plant for decades.'
Observatório Ibérico de Energia assured that Portuguese and Spanish environmental associations will appeal against the extension of the Almarasa plant's operation until June 2030 'as soon as possible.' According to the coordinator of this association, António Eloi, the lawsuit will be filed in Spain by the Association for the Protection of Nature and Resources of Extremadura (Adenex).
António Eloi told Lusa today: 'The [Spanish] government, with this decision, calls into question previous decisions [...] may call into question the closure program of other plants and creates a disruption throughout the system, because the system needs certainty, not distrust.'
Confirmation of the legal challenge came after the movement Alargar as Nucleares, Não Obrigado—comprising Adenex, Ecologistas em Ação, and Greenpeace—deemed the extension of the Almarasa plant's operation until 2030, located in the Tagus River basin about 100 kilometers from the Portuguese border, 'illegal,' promising to fight for the cancellation of the extension. Oscar Alonso Carvalho from the movement told Lusa: 'This is unfair and illegal, given that there was an agreement between the companies and the state to close Almarasa in 2027. If that is not the case, then it is illegality, a product of a subsequent agreement that only benefits the company and speculation.'
Australian designer Elle Turner created a water-saving shower device based on the experience gained during periods of drought and strict water usage restrictions in Australia. During droughts in ancient times, small tricks were used to conserve water, such as using buckets in the shower to collect water lost while waiting for the water to heat up.
The device came about because Turner observed her seventy-five-year-old mother struggling to lift heavy buckets of collected water; the water collector is a compact, specially designed alternative that makes water conservation more intuitive.
The SEVAS device, whose name is spelled backward from SEVAS, can collect up to five liters of water within the first thirty seconds of showering. Measuring 40 x 40 x 9 cm, its low profile allows it to be placed discreetly next to the shower, and the 13-degree angle directs the water to the central opening without splashing.
After filling, integrated handles make lifting and moving the container easier, and the removable sprinkler attachment allows the collected water to be reused for watering plants, gardens, and household use. Its five-liter capacity is intentionally balanced between significant water savings and convenient weight, making it accessible to both children and elderly users.
SEVAS is made from 100% recyclable HDPE plastic using a closed-loop cooling system, and its packaging is fully biodegradable. After eighteen months of development, the product was launched in 2025 and subsequently sold out in both the US and Australia. SEVAS makes the existing habit of saving water more understandable by encouraging daily resource conservation practices.
