President Nazarbayev Notes Timeliness of EXPO 2017’s Future Energy Theme

ASTANA – President Nursultan Nazarbayev had an informal interview with national TV journalists Yerlan Iginisov of 24KZ and Beisen Kuranbek of Kazakhstan that was shown on Dec. 13. As part of the conversation, Nazarbayev shared his thoughts on the upcoming EXPO 2017, which has a theme of Future Energy.

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President Nazarbayev during informal meeting with national TV journalists

Nazarbayev noted the timeliness of hosting an EXPO in Astana on alternative energies, reported the press service of Akorda.

“Recently in Paris the whole world discussed the issue of climate change and challenges in reducing emissions. And emissions come from those sources of energy that we use for living – coal and oil. And the world has spent this year alone, $270 billion for green technologies. The goal is to produce 15 to 50 percent of the electricity from renewable sources by 2050. Therefore, green technology is not just about the replacement of hydrocarbons; it is scientific and technical progress,” he said.

“Scientists say that even solar energy can provide mankind with the necessary energy. Wind energy, waterpower, hydrogen energy. Now there are whole plants working on vehicles that run on electricity, on batteries. … If we want to keep up with these trends, we must move in this direction. We have everything we need in our country,” he said. “First, everyone will bring their experience. We will see what is happening in the world and we will try to show our experience, what we can. In our steppes and fields, the wind blows and there is a lot of sun. We are just at the beginning of our work and we already have successful results. This is one of the points of scientific and technological progress,” he added, according to Tengrinews.

Also during the conversation, he discussed issues of 2015, including relations between Turkey and Russia, de-dollarisation, his personnel policies , privatisation, pension funds, tribalism, the 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate, fighting corruption and others important topics of this year.


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