LocationsFrom UNDP Projects to Research on a Just Energy Transition
January 5, 2026
In recent years, energy reforms implemented in Uzbekistan have increasingly been viewed not only through the lens of sustainable development, but also in terms of social justice. In this context, growing attention is being paid to how policy decisions affect the lives of vulnerable population groups.
The opportunity to closely observe these processes and explore them in practice emerged for Nurillo Abdunabiev through our joint programme: Promoting Just Energy Transition in Uzbekistan implemented by in cooperation with ILO and UNECE.
Through engagement in this programme, Nurillo witnessed first-hand how the principles of sustainable development and social justice are translated into real-life outcomes, and gained practical insight into how public policy initiatives impact the living conditions of vulnerable communities.
Nurillo’s professional and academic journey was far from straightforward. After more than 20 unsuccessful applications to leading universities and international scholarship programmes over a four-year period, he was eventually awarded the Chevening Scholarship. This achievement provided an opportunity to deepen academic knowledge and acquire valuable international experience that could later contribute to Uzbekistan’s development.
With the aim of linking academic learning to practical outcomes, Nurillo Abdunabiev pursued a Master’s degree in Public Policy at the University of Edinburgh. During the programme, he developed strong foundations in qualitative and quantitative research methods, energy policy, and political institutions, while also applying these skills within real project contexts.
The Master’s thesis was developed in cooperation with our “Promoting a Just Energy Transition” project. As part of the research, focus group discussions were conducted in the Aral Sea region with local residents and representatives of the makhalla “Seven” (local committee). These discussions sought to gain a deeper understanding of how energy reforms affect the welfare of low-income households.
The discussions addressed electricity tariffs, access to subsidies, opportunities for participation in decision-making processes, and the impact of reforms on household expenditures. The findings revealed the population’s actual needs. In particular, limited capacity to reduce energy consumption was often linked to objective factors such as the need to maintain adequate heating for children or the presence of household members with disabilities.
“Through the focus group discussions, I once again realised that energy reforms are not just about numbers and tariffs. They are closely connected to people’s everyday lives to ensure a warm home for their children and feeling that their voices are heard in decision-making processes,” says Nurillo Abdunabiev.
These dialogues reinforced a key conclusion for Nurillo. Energy policy is not solely about technological or economic calculations, it is fundamentally about people’s lives. A just transition requires that reforms leave no one behind, households are not exposed to financial insecurity when heating their homes, and citizens’ voices are reflected in policy decisions.
Today, hands-on experience with UNDP, advanced academic training, and direct engagement with communities have formed a strong professional foundation for Nurillo. This experience enables him to contribute to the development of inclusive and equitable policies that genuinely consider the interests of the most vulnerable groups. He is currently looking forward to the development of our analytical policy brief based on the findings of this research.
