Uzbekistan Launches Biodiversity Finance Training Program

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Central Asian Green University, has unveiled a new academic module on biodiversity finance at the Eco Expo Central Asia 2026 international exhibition in Samarkand.

The initiative aims to train a new generation of specialists capable of developing financial mechanisms for the preservation of natural capital and the sustainable management of ecosystems.

The new academic module was developed under UNDP’s global Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) with support from the Swiss government. It will be incorporated as an elective course into the Central Asian Green University’s master's programme in sustainable finance.

A distinctive feature of the project is that, for the first time, an academic programme includes a course based on the international BIOFIN methodology, which is already used in more than 130 countries to assess biodiversity financing needs and identify effective mechanisms for attracting investment into environmental projects.

According to Central Asian Green University Rector Bakhtiyor Pulatov, combining UNDP’s international experience with the university’s academic potential will help create an educational platform focused on addressing real environmental and economic challenges.

The new course was presented during a dedicated expert session that brought together representatives of government agencies, academia, international organisations and environmental finance specialists.

Martin Cadena, Global Manager of UNDP’s BIOFIN programme, said that amid the growing biodiversity crisis, there is an increasing need for specialists capable of designing and implementing innovative financial solutions for environmental protection.

Experts noted that today’s environmental agenda requires a comprehensive approach in which conservation policies are supported not only by environmental instruments but also by sustainable financial mechanisms. As a result, biodiversity finance has become one of the key areas of workforce development for the green economy.

The new module will provide students with practical skills in assessing the financing needs of environmental projects, analysing funding gaps, developing environmentally oriented financial instruments and integrating conservation objectives into public and corporate investment policies.

The launch of the academic programme builds on the implementation of Uzbekistan’s Biodiversity Finance Plan, developed under the BIOFIN initiative. The document identified priority areas for mobilising financial resources to preserve ecosystems and highlighted the need to build a national pool of expertise in environmental finance.

An additional training tool will be UNDP’s global online course, “Biodiversity Finance: Designing and Implementing Finance Plans for Nature,” which is now available in Uzbek through the Learning for Nature educational platform.

Participants in the event said the launch of the academic course represents an important contribution to developing human capital for the green transformation of the economy. The project also supports Uzbekistan’s national goals in biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation and sustainable development.

Established in 2023, the Central Asian Green University is gradually becoming a regional hub for training specialists in ecology, climate policy and sustainable development.

The integration of international educational programmes into the curriculum strengthens its role as one of Central Asia’s key centres for environmental expertise.