ASTANA – Multilateral initiatives on carbon farming, a global low-carbon platform, more than 40 thematic sessions, and its national pavilion – these are the priorities for Kazakhstan as the nation prepares for the 2024 United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference on Nov. 11-22 in Baku. Kazakh Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nyssanbayev spoke to The Astana Times, sharing Kazakhstan’s hopes and ambitions for this global event and the nation’s progress towards a greener future.
Yerlan Nyssanbayev. Photo credit: Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources
Q: Kazakhstan has set an ambitious goal of becoming a carbon-neutral economy by 2060. What specific results have been achieved recently in combating climate change and adapting to its effects?
Kazakhstan is particularly vulnerable to climate change and is already experiencing its effects, such as rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, decreasing water resources, biodiversity loss, and threats to food security.
Low-carbon development and the decarbonization of the economy are essential components of sustainable development and effective responses to global climate change. A significant step in this direction is the adoption of the Carbon Neutrality Strategy by 2060, a key strategic document outlining nationwide approaches and setting the course for government policy on the gradual transformation of the economy.
By ratifying the Paris Agreement, Kazakhstan has committed unconditionally to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% from 1990 levels by 2030. Today, the primary mechanism for reducing emissions is the national emissions trading system (ETS), which includes large energy, oil and gas, industrial, chemical, and mining enterprises. The ETS covers around 43% of Kazakhstan’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
Kazakhstan’s ETS also interacts with other international trading systems, such as that of the European Union, allowing for international cooperation and experience-sharing in the region. Special attention is given to adapting vulnerable sectors of the economy to climate change, with legal frameworks established for implementing climate adaptation measures. Going forward, adaptation work must be carried out at the regional level.
The priorities are focused on the adaptation needs of key sectors impacted by climate change, such as agriculture, water resource management, forestry, and disaster risk reduction. To strengthen regional cooperation and enhance collaborative efforts, Kazakhstan has already proposed hosting a Regional Climate Summit in 2026 and establishing a Central Asian Climate Project Office.
I believe these initiatives will help advance effective climate policy and encourage investment to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy in Central Asia. The summit will provide an opportunity to adopt joint strategies for reducing carbon emissions in the region.
Q: In the lead-up to COP29 and with Kazakhstan preparing to present its national pavilion, what primary goals is Kazakhstan setting for itself? How does the ministry plan to lead or support the climate agenda, particularly within Central Asia?
Throughout the year, there has been active preparation for COP29, with a focus on the conference’s priority issues. The World Leaders Climate Action Summit will take place on Nov. 12-13 during COP29, and our head of state will participate.
This year, Kazakhstan will host its first national pavilion, providing a valuable platform for thematic sessions and bilateral and multilateral meetings and drawing the international community’s attention to Kazakhstan’s climate challenges. We are currently working on the pavilion’s content, with a program that includes around 40 thematic sessions. One key session will support the head of state’s initiative – the Central Asian Climate Process: Toward the Regional Climate Summit 2026.
Additionally, Kazakhstan has launched several multilateral initiatives. One of them is the Carbon Farming Initiative, which aims to foster international cooperation and coordinated efforts to combat desertification and land degradation.
Since Kazakhstan has had an ETS since 2013, we are ready to share our experience. In this regard, the Global Low-Carbon Platform will be launched to consolidate efforts toward greenhouse gas reduction through ETS, enhance the carbon market, develop joint best practices and technologies among countries, and strengthen monitoring, reporting, and verification systems.
We also aim to expand the Central Asian Bureau for Best Available Techniques (BAT). As you know, Kazakhstan has been implementing a reform to introduce BAT, an effective tool for reducing environmental impact and improving ecological conditions. Central Asian countries have expressed interest in joining this initiative.
To date, the government has approved 16 BAT Reference Documents covering the activities of the top 50 large industrial facilities in Category I. For other Category I enterprises, BAT documents are being developed. Starting in 2025, the top 50 facilities in Category I will be exempt from emissions fees upon obtaining a comprehensive environmental permit and implementing BAT. The transition for other Category I facilities is planned for 2031.
It is anticipated that transitioning the power industry to an environmental permit, coupled with the introduction of the BAT, will reduce annual emissions in the sector by 70%. Implementing these techniques is a core strategy to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 [ensuring access to clean and affordable energy], increase energy efficiency, and ensure optimal use of green technologies, thereby minimizing CO2 emissions.
Q: Climate finance remains a key topic for COP29. What specific steps is Kazakhstan taking to secure international climate financing, and how is the government ensuring the effective allocation of these funds to impactful projects?
At COP29, discussions will focus on finance, specifically setting a new quantitative climate finance goal, which will be the most critical item on the agenda. The financial target set by developed countries to mobilize $100 billion annually by 2020 was not achieved. This new goal will be a crucial component in responding to the Global Stocktake results, as financing for both adaptation and mitigation requires a substantial increase and an understanding of the needs of all parties.
As the designated authority, we are working with international organizations and financial institutions to implement projects in our country. We are pursuing accreditation with the Green Climate Fund, which will give us direct access to climate financing.
At the previous climate conference, Kazakhstan joined the Global Methane Pledge. With the relevant state bodies, the ministry has developed a portfolio of seven investment projects aimed at reducing methane emissions in agriculture and the oil, gas, and coal sectors.
At COP28 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, a decision was made to establish a Loss and Damage Fund. The fund aims to assist developing countries in addressing losses and damages incurred due to extreme weather events, rising sea levels, population migration, and other impacts.
Kazakhstan is the only Central Asian country represented on the fund’s council. We believe that our participation on behalf of the region is essential for advocating shared interests concerning climate change impacts and its consequences, such as flooding, drought, glacier melt, and water shortages.
Q: Despite Kazakhstan’s significant potential for wind and solar energy, the adoption of renewable energy sources has been slow. What are the key barriers, and how does the government plan to accelerate the development of this sector?
First and foremost, the development of renewable energy sources is embedded in our country’s strategic documents. As is well known, Kazakhstan has considerable potential for renewable and alternative energy, particularly in wind, solar, geothermal, hydrogen, and bioenergy.
According to Kazakhstan’s Carbon Neutrality Strategy for 2060, the energy transition will involve adopting advanced international approaches and standards across all sectors of the economy to shift toward alternative and renewable energy sources. These include standards for environmentally friendly transportation, fuel and energy consumption reduction, waste recycling, and energy efficiency.
Thus, the low-carbon development pathway and carbon-neutral system for 2060 envision a gradual replacement of coal with alternative and renewable energy sources. Additionally, according to the Green Economy Transition Concept, approved by the presidential decree of May 30, 2013, the goal is to increase the share of renewables in electricity production to 30% by 2030 and 50% by 2050, considering alternative energy sources.
At present, we are also working on large-scale renewable energy projects in collaboration with strategic international investors such as Total Eren, Masdar, ACWA Power, and China Power International Holding, each aiming for capacities up to one gigawatt.
It is also worth noting that the share of renewables in the current energy mix has reached around 6%.
Q: As climate change increasingly impacts Central Asia’s water resources, what strategies are being developed to address the impending water scarcity crisis in Kazakhstan and its potential effects on agriculture and food security?
Water scarcity amid climate change is undoubtedly one of the pressing issues we face. The agriculture sector is particularly vulnerable, and we recognize the serious threat this poses to food security and regional resilience.
Kazakhstan has developed a new Water Code that introduces several large-scale novelties, including a dedicated chapter on adaptation measures in the water sector.
Additionally, we are working on sector-specific roadmaps for implementing the Carbon Neutrality Strategy. This year, with support from the Green Climate Fund, we launched a project on national adaptation planning. This initiative will help build and strengthen capacity for integrating climate risks into planning, assessing climate vulnerabilities, and implementing effective methods, tools, and information systems to enhance decision-making on climate adaptation.
Besides that, during the UN General Assembly session in New York, Kazakhstan, in partnership with France, announced the One Water Summit initiative. This summit will bring together international efforts to address the global water crisis and promote the conservation of water resources. We invite countries in our region and international partners to participate in this event, which will take place on the sidelines of the 16th Conference of the Parties on Desertification in Riyadh this December.
Q: What regulatory changes is the ministry considering to attract foreign direct investment into Kazakhstan’s green economy, particularly in sectors such as renewable energy and sustainable agriculture?
Around the world, carbon offset projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions are actively underway. In Kazakhstan, offset projects for renewable energy sources are currently being implemented.
Special attention was given to climate projects in the agricultural sector at the climate summit [COP28] in Dubai. Developing carbon sequestration sites in Kazakhstan is a key priority, as these sites allow for the restoration of degraded pasturelands, expansion of green areas, and carbon absorption.
Carbon sequestration sites are essential for industrial enterprises to offset greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, these sites provide an opportunity for farmers to enter the carbon market through carbon farming, incentivizing emissions absorption through various agribusiness practices and biological carbon capture methods.
Kazakhstan’s grasslands have a significant carbon absorption potential of over 35 million tons of CO2. Meanwhile, emissions from arable land currently amount to 32 million tons of CO2.
Kazakhstan also plans to implement a joint project with Japan to plant forests covering 14,584 hectares in the Akmola Region. The project, spanning 50 years, aims to sequester approximately eight million tons of CO2. The total investment for this initiative is estimated at $22.5 million.
