Uzbekistan has achieved significant progress in combating air pollution. In 2024, the country became the first in Central Asia to align its national standards for PM2.5 particles with the target indicators set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
This was reported in the international State of Global Air report for 2025. The permissible amount of PM2.5 particles is now set at 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
This is the minimum criterion recommended by the WHO for countries with high pollution levels. For comparison, in countries with the cleanest air such as Finland and Iceland, the average PM2.5 concentration is below 5 µg/m³.
To monitor air quality, Uzbekistan expanded its monitoring network. It currently covers 26 cities and includes 89 observation points, 23 automatic stations, and one mobile station.
In the coming years, it is planned to install an additional 347 mini-stations. All data are updated hourly and provided online in open format.
The country is also developing its first National Air Protection Strategy, planned through 2035. This document will unify efforts to reduce pollution from transport, industry, and other sources.
According to the international report, in 2023, air pollution caused 7.9 million deaths worldwide. Ninety percent of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries.
