The big story in Tashkent this week is air pollution. We have one of the worst air quality indexes in the world lateley due to a “temperature inversion”. In normal meteorological conditions, air gets colder as one ascends in the atmosphere. However, in an inversion, a layer of warmer air traps colder air below, acting like a lid on a pot and preventing warm air from rising and taking pollutants with it. Tashkent is vulnerable to inversions because it is located in a basin surrounded by mountains, which makes them more frequent and more severe. The air quality has worsened over the past two years. There are several sources of air pollution in Tashkent.
- 73% of gasoline sold in the city has an octane rating of 80, which is the cheapest of the three options of gasoline available at gas stations. 80-octane fuel emits more harmful byproducts than the cleaner-burning 92-octane and 95-octane fuels. The Uzbek government is acting quickly and banning the sale of 80-octane fuel as of December 1, 2025.
- The growth of cars in the city over the past 5 years has been incredible! Car ownership has increased by 32% over the last two years, and now, more than 1 million cars pass through the city streets daily. This has increased traffic but also emissions. Studies show vehicles contribute 60% of air pollutants.
- Another factor is real estate development. 15 years ago, the city was covered with 20-30% greenery, but today it has dropped to 10-18%. Developers are using green areas to build large apartment blocks. Uzbeks see apartments as investments, and developer greed means guaranteed profits. The dust from the construction and loss of trees is contributing to air pollutants.
- The average temperature in Central Asia increased by 1 degree Celsius in the last 10 years. The climate is drier and hotter. We have not had any precipitation this November, for example.
- Factories and greenhouses around the city burn cheap coal, and I’ve heard even tires are burned. There is a large coal-burning electrical plant near Angren, Uzbekistan.
The Uzbek president put together a special commission to address the problem. I hope it is successful. Local mosques are holding an istisqa or prayer for rain to help clear the pollution. It limits my exercise outdoors.
I had a busy week with finance committee, full board meeting, and a Director Parent Coffee. Thursday and Friday were professional development days at school. I did manage to take care of my health by getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist and getting an influenza vaccine for the 2026 season.
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