BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 11. Uzbekistan's Uzatom Agency and the New Development Bank (NDB) discussed environmental and social safeguards for the country's low-carbon energy development project, including ways to align international standards and manage potential risks. The discussions took place in Tashkent on November 9.
According to Uzatom, the meeting was held as part of a joint seminar focused on preparing an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) for the project.
Participants discussed the project's scope, environmental and social considerations, the NDB's approach to impact management, and the proposed structure and template for the ESMF.
The seminar also included a review of Rosatom's experience in assessing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards in nuclear power plant construction and operation, as well as the climate performance of Uzbekistan's integrated nuclear power plant.
The event brought together representatives of the NDB, Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom, and independent experts in environmental and social management.
Andrey Bokarev, director general of the NDB's Eurasian Regional Center, described the preparation of the framework as an important step toward ensuring the project's sustainable development. He said that applying the bank's principles would help systematically manage environmental and social risks while creating long-term benefits for Uzbekistan's energy sector.
Polina Lion, director of Rosatom's Sustainable Development Department, emphasized that compliance with high ESG standards was an integral part of nuclear power plant construction and operation.
"We consider compliance with high ESG standards as an integral part of NPP construction and operation projects. Rosatom's experience in this area makes it possible to effectively compare approaches with the best international practices and ensure the climate efficiency of integrated nuclear power plants," she said.
The seminar is intended to support high standards of environmental protection and social responsibility while strengthening cooperation between Uzbekistan, the NDB and Rosatom in low-carbon energy development.
