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ECOLOGICAL CULTURE IN UZBEKISTAN: PROBLEMS AND
SOLUTIONS
Rustamova Dilsabokhon Juraevna
Associate Professor of the Andijan Faculty of TDIU, Doctor of Philosophy
Email:rustamovadilsabo@gmail.com
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15167440
Abstract.
Taking into account the fact that environmental problems are
gaining global importance, in recent years, along with important priority tasks,
special attention has been paid to environmental protection, ecological culture,
ecological education, and ecological awareness. Therefore, the article discusses
the issues of forming an ecological culture among the population.
Key words:
Ecological culture, ecological knowledge, ecological problem,
atmospheric pollution, ecological values.
Introduction.
In recent years, environmental problems have become a
priority issue in human life around the world. Inequality in nature, global
pollution, and climate change - all of this reflects man's attitude towards nature.
Uzbekistan is not immune to such problems. Therefore, the formation of an
ecological culture in our country and its dissemination to the general public has
become an important task.
Taking into account the growing global importance of environmental
problems, in recent years, special attention has been paid to environmental
protection, ecological culture, ecological education, and ecological awareness,
along with important priority tasks.
The relevance of ecological education is determined by the need to protect
the nature, ecosystems, and environment of our country from instability and
degradation, to increase the ecological culture of the population, and to involve
all segments of the population, especially young people, in these serious, vital
issues.
The biosphere is changing very rapidly under the influence of human
activity. As a result of such an impact of humanity on natural processes,
ecological problems began to flare up in the middle of the 20th century. Thus,
ecological problems are primarily due to the impact of man on nature.
As a result of the development of civilization and the gradual deepening of
humanity's impact on nature, the situation is changing for the worse. Today,
even if we talk about primitive pure nature, Because the vast forests on Earth
have been cut down, large areas have been cleared for agriculture, fertilizers
have been applied, and clean air and nature have been polluted with all kinds of
waste and gases. In addition, floods, forest fires, dust storms, and other natural
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disasters are occurring more frequently and on a catastrophic scale. All of this is
disrupting the natural balance of the environment.
Natural, anthropogenic, or purely anthropogenic phenomena observed
around the world are considered universal problems. Such environmental
problems include, among others, the phenomena of "Atmospheric
Humidification" and "Ozone Layer Depletion", as well as the scarcity of fresh
water, the reduction of plant and animal species, and the use of toxic chemical
compounds in land cultivation.
Ecological culture is a spiritual, moral, social and practical form of relations
between man and nature. That is, it is a person's conscious attitude to nature,
the integration of ecological values in his lifestyle, and most importantly, an
understanding of personal responsibility for the protection of nature.
Ecological culture includes the following:
1. Ecological knowledge - theoretical and practical information about the
state of the environment, natural resources, sources of pollution and their
consequences.
2. Ecological feeling - love for nature, the desire to preserve and protect it.
3. Ecological awareness - the ability to understand the impact of a person
on nature through his actions.
4. Ecological ethics - the ethics of not harming nature, maintaining a balance
between society and nature.
5. Ecological activity - the formation of an ecological lifestyle through
practical work (planting trees, sorting waste, saving water, etc.).
Ecological culture is not only information, but also a way of thinking and
lifestyle.
DISCUSSION AND RESULTS.
There are certain obstacles to the formation
of an ecological culture in Uzbekistan. Namely:
Firstly, the level of ecological literacy of the population is low. No matter
how much information is disseminated, if a person does not have a deep
understanding of his impact on nature, he will not understand the consequences
of his actions. Many citizens understand the importance of protecting nature, but
they do not know how to put it into practice. For example, city dwellers may
know what waste separation is, but this concept is not yet widespread in rural
areas.
Secondly, there is a lack of information, especially in rural areas. In rural
areas, regular access to television, the Internet, and mass media is limited. This
prevents people from getting up-to-date information about environmental
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threats. For example, in one of the isolated villages of Kashkadarya region,
farmers continue to use harmful pesticides on their crops. The reason is that
they do not have enough information about modern biological methods. That is,
the problem is not knowledge, but access to information.
Third, there is a lack of compliance with environmental standards in
manufacturing and agriculture. In many manufacturing enterprises, especially in
the small and medium-sized business sector, the implementation of
environmental standards is still perceived as an additional cost. For example, it
has been revealed that small tanneries in the Syrdarya region discharge their
waste directly into the canal, rather than into special treatment facilities. Local
residents use this canal water for gardening. This poses a serious threat not only
to nature, but also to human health.
Fourth, certain lifestyle habits. People often do not take a critical approach
to their daily habits. Leaving water running, throwing garbage outside the trash
can, and not sorting paper and plastic are common practices that have serious
consequences. For example, in some neighborhoods in the Fergana Valley, it has
become a habit to leave the water running for several hours a day in many
homes. The reason is that the idea that "water is cheap and plentiful" prevails.
But this is a huge loss, especially for a country with a dry climate.
Also, cases of deliberate burning of waste still occur. This leads to air
pollution and harm to the respiratory tracts of nearby people, but the population
does not fully understand the ecological and medical consequences of this.
Thus, it can be said that the main obstacles to the formation of an ecological
culture are not a lack of knowledge, but rather practical approaches, access to
information, and difficulties in overcoming old habits. Each example suggests
that the problem must be solved not at the individual level, but within the
framework of society and infrastructure.
Uzbekistan is a large industrial center and agrarian region, and in the future
it is planned to further develop the world-class mechanical engineering, energy,
chemical, food industry, and transport complex. The development of such
productive forces, in turn, has a certain negative impact on the state of the
ecosystem.
According to experts, the most acute ecological and environmental
problems in our country today include the following. Firstly, the problems of
environmental protection in the regions where large industrial complexes are
located, namely Angren, Almalyk, Chirchik, Fergana, Margilan, Navoi and other
regions, are particularly acute. The state of the ecosystem in these regions is not
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good. Because various gases and wastes emitted by industrial centers lead to
pollution of the atmosphere and the environment.
Secondly, environmental problems in the agro-industrial complex.
Thirdly, pollution of natural waters with industrial waste, toxic substances
and mineral fertilizers is also among the environmental problems.
Fourth, there are also certain problems with the protection and restoration
of flora and fauna, as well as with the expansion of the network of reserves and
national parks.
In turn, the main strategic goals of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the field of
nature protection and rational use are the following:
• creation of favorable conditions for the health of the population,
preservation of biosphere balance;
• With a view to the effectiveness and sustainability of Uzbekistan's socio-
economic development, attention should be paid to maintaining a balance
between the processes of production and consumption of renewable natural
resources in the use of natural resources, as well as the rational use of waste;
• restoration of the regenerative properties of nature at the regional and
national levels;
• preservation of native species of nature and their gene pool, diversity of
landscapes;
• improvement of the disastrous ecological situation associated with the
Aral Sea problem, etc.
Mammals and birds have decreased in the steppes and forests of our
country. The arid areas are teeming with rodents that spread dangerous
diseases.
We, humans, are inextricably linked to nature, we cannot live without it.
Therefore, we all need to protect and cherish nature, use natural resources
wisely, save every drop of water, and always care about the cleanliness of the
environment.
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS.
Today, the development of practical
measures to form the ecological culture of the population of our Republic and
their implementation are as urgent as water and air. To do this, it is necessary to
strengthen
-Environmental education and upbringing. To increase ecological literacy, it
is necessary to instill ecological knowledge in the education system. This
knowledge should be enriched not only with theoretical, but also with practical
training. For example, in the process of teaching the subject "Ecology and Man"
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at Tashkent State Pedagogical University, students annually participate in
planting forest seedlings in the Buka district. This is not just theoretical
knowledge, but also practical experience. Such activities increase the sense of
personal responsibility in students. Therefore, it is possible to organize
ecological clubs in each school and introduce "ecological day" as a traditional
event. This will help children develop a sense of love and responsibility for
nature.
-It is necessary to strengthen propaganda work through the media, the
influence of television, radio, the Internet and social networks in changing public
consciousness is very great. If accurate and effective information is provided
through these means, an ecological worldview will be formed in people. For
example, the project of the “Green House” TV channel called “Ecological Week”
shows daily stories about environmental problems and solutions. This helps the
population gain practical knowledge, such as waste sorting and water
conservation. It is also effective to strengthen awareness among young people
through short, understandable videos on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram,
and YouTube.
- It is necessary to cooperate with local communities. Because the
participation of local communities, citizens' assemblies and public organizations
in the formation of ecological culture is important. If citizens themselves
participate in practical work, their responsibility towards nature will increase.
For example, in the Navoi region, as part of the "Green Zone" initiative,
community beekeeping was organized in cooperation with the local population
and schoolchildren. These events not only included planting trees, but also
lectures on waste disposal and nature conservation. Thus, a community group of
"ecological supervisors" was formed in each neighborhood, and they could
organize regular insect and healthy environment campaigns.
-It is necessary to improve the legislative framework and strengthen
control. Because, Laws exist, but their implementation, control, and ensuring
accountability are the most important issues. If the damage caused to nature
remains unaddressed, no measures will yield results. For example, in 2022, a
large chemical plant in the Namangan region was fined 1.2 billion soums for
exceeding the permissible level of harmful substances into the atmosphere,
which caused a lot of public discussion. This situation showed that
environmental control can be effective. Therefore, an online reporting platform
for environmental violations could be created (for example, through Telegram
bots). Also, strengthen the activities of public environmental inspectors.
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Each of the above measures is not only theoretically, but also practically
justified and can be implemented in our country. The most important thing is
that if these things are implemented collectively, an ecological culture can be
formed not only in words, but also in our lives to a significant extent.
Ecological culture is an investment in the future. If we take care of nature
today, tomorrow we and our children will have the opportunity to live in a
healthy environment. The work being done in this area in Uzbekistan is yielding
positive results, but this is not enough. If each of us does not make our own
personal contribution, it will be difficult to change. Therefore, preserving nature
should be considered not only the state, but also every citizen.
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Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures to
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President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev delivered a
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