An industrial park is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development, usually located on the edges of, or outside the main residential areas of a city. Industrial parks have played an important role in the economic growth of many developing countries and middle-income countries.

 

Initially, sustainable business practices were widely ignored by most of the enterprises operating in such zones as the main focus was economic development. Nevertheless, governments and the private sector have gradually become supportive of a more modern and sustainable investment regime for industrial zones. In this context, the Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) concept has increasingly been recognized as an effective tool for overcoming challenges related to inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) within the scope of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

Eco-industrial parks (EIPs) are about creating more resource-efficient and cost-effective industrial parks which are more competitive, attractive for investment and risk resilient. Eco-industrial parks provide economic, social and environmental benefits to industrial parks and their stakeholders (e.g. tenant companies, community).

 

Extensive international experience from UNIDO has demonstrated that EIPs can be useful vehicles for sustainable economic development in developing countries and economies in transition. The types of economic, environmental, and social benefits of EIPs vary greatly. UNIDO has collaborated with international organizations to provide a common vision for EIPs

 

Industrial zones, which represent a place of concentration of medium and large industries, have traditionally been an integral part of large urban settlements in Uzbekistan. In the framework of economic development goals, the country has started building industrial zones throughout the nation in an effort to diversify economic activity and attract investment into new sectors of the economy. The government has produced a variety of strategic documents outlining the objectives and actions required for these industrial zones to succeed.

 

As a part of the project dedicated to Green Industrialisation of Uzbekistan, funded by German Federal Government through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH , UNIDO will demonstrate Eco-Industrial Parks (EIP) development in the country in two selected pilot sites. This project will build on lessons learnt from the Global Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) Programme, the Global EIP Program (GEIPP), and will create synergies with UNIDO projects completed in other countries of the Central and Eastern European countries (including Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine). Strong collaboration with other UNIDO EIP projects will be fostered as well.