ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s conservation efforts have gained global recognition as the country’s Altyn Dala conservation initiative has advanced to the finals of the prestigious 2024 Earthshot Prize, founded by Prince William. The announcement came on Sept. 24 during the third annual Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit held during Climate Week in New York.
This is the first time a Kazakh-led environmental project has reached the finals of the Earthshot Prize, marking a significant milestone in the country’s growing role on the global stage of environmental advocacy. Photo credit: earthshotprize.org
The Kazakh initiative is one of 15 finalists for the prize and one of three in the Protect and Restore Nature category. Having been selected as a finalist from over 2,400 nominees, this landmark achievement places Kazakhstan in the global spotlight for its commitment to environmental sustainability and biodiversity protection.
Daniyar Turgambayev, chairman of the Forestry and Wildlife of the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, expressed pride in the recognition.
“There is, however, much work to still be done to ensure the golden steppes of Kazakhstan continue to benefit people, wildlife, and climate long into the future. We intend to continue to work as a partnership to further utilize our experience and provide training to local conservationists across a wider range of sites,” he said.
Altyn Dala project scope. Photo credit: Steffen Zuther/ FZS
Initially founded in 2005 to preserve saiga antelopes, the Altyn Dala initiative expanded its reach. The initiative represents a long-term collaborative partnership between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK), the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
It works across 75 million hectares of steppe ecosystems. It is focused on creating and expanding protected areas, restoring threatened species’ populations, addressing illegal wildlife trade, and providing professional training and public education.
Altyn Dala’s work has been instrumental in recovering the once critically endangered saiga antelope.
In 2005, the saiga antelope population had been driven to the brink, with fewer than 40,000 remaining, largely due to relentless poaching by criminal gangs seeking their valuable horns. Thanks to years of dedicated research, robust anti-poaching and anti-smuggling operations, the creation of protected areas, and widespread public awareness campaigns, the saiga antelope has made a stunning comeback. In 2024, their numbers soared to an unprecedented 2.8 million, marking one of the most dramatic wildlife recoveries ever recorded.
Catching saiga for collaring, western Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Adbuaziz Madyarov
Challenges still lie ahead in expanding protected areas, restoring more depleted species, and ensuring that rural communities continue to benefit from ongoing nature restoration efforts within Kazakhstan.
Vera Voronova, ACBK executive director, describes Altyn Dala’s success as “both inspiring and deeply humbling.”
Vera Voronova leads the Altyn Dala initiative, along with ACBK. Photo credit: Photo credit: earthshotprize.org
“We hope this recognition will enable us to expand our partnerships, bringing in additional expertise, experience, and resources to scale up our work in protecting and restoring grasslands for the benefit of nature, climate, and communities,” she said.
Besides saiga antelopes, Altyn Dala also led the reintroduction of other key threatened species, including the steppe eagle, the critically endangered sociable lapwing, and the kulan. A historic milestone was achieved in 2024 with the reintroduction of the Przewalski’s horse, marking its return to the region after a 200-year absence.
Przewalski’s horse in the Alibi reintroduction center in central Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Albert Salemgareyev
Altyn Dala works hand-in-hand with local communities, raising awareness about the vital importance of the steppe and its role. It seeks not only to create jobs and provide training opportunities but also to engage children and schools in learning about the region’s ecosystem and wildlife.
Launched in 2020, the Earthshot Prize, often regarded as one of the world’s most important environmental awards, seeks to inspire and incentivize solutions to the planet’s greatest ecological challenges.
The competition spans five categories: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate. In its category, Altyn Dala is placed along the Peru-based Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance and NatureMetrics, which specializes in delivering biodiversity data.
“I am delighted to introduce you to this year’s 15 new Earthshot Prize finalists. These solutions are some of the most exciting, innovative, and impactful we’ve seen. And the people behind them are true inspirations. I know you’re as passionate as I am about making a difference to our planet, and we can’t wait to share their stories with you,” said Prince William in a video message to the summit.
The winners of each of the five categories will be announced during Earthshot Week in Cape Town on Nov. 6. The finalists will receive a £1 million prize (US$1.3 million).
Whatever the outcome, Kazakhstan’s advancement to the finals of the Earthshot Prize is already a victory for the nation’s conservation efforts and a testament to the possibility of positive environmental change through innovative action and collaboration.
