ASTANA – Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Kazakhstan Kathy Leach highlighted the importance of climate initiatives in the bilateral ties with Kazakhstan and expressed the U.K.’s continued support in addressing the consequences of climate change at a Nov. 1 press briefing in Astana.
Ambassador Kathy Leach at a press briefing at the British Embassy in Astana on Nov. 1. Photo credit: Assel Satubaldina/ The Astana Times
Leach noted a deep personal commitment to environmental issues, highlighting how this focus has defined her role in Kazakhstan over the past three years.
“When I came to Kazakhstan three years ago, I was determined that we, as an embassy, would really focus on the topics of climate change, energy transition, and nature. This is a particularly important moment right now,” said Leach, referring to the three upcoming United Nations (UN) conferences on biodiversity, climate change, and desertification.
The ambassador pointed out recent climate-driven events, such as devastating floods in Spain, underscoring the urgency of adopting strategies to reduce carbon emissions and transition to green energy.
U.K.’s journey
In her remarks, Ambassador Leach shared the U.K.’s green energy transformation, underscoring the country’s achievements in phasing out coal, a journey of just 12 years. In October, the country, the birthplace of coal power, closed its last coal-fired Ratcliffe-on-Soar power plant in the English Midlands.
“As recently as 2012, we still used to generate 40% of our electricity from coal. (…) The U.K. now has zero coal in its power,” said Leach, adding that another target is zero emissions in power by 2030.
The ambassador stressed the U.K. seeks to support other countries, including Kazakhstan, in this effort.
“The main message today is to underline the leadership that the U.K. wants to show. Domestically, we have launched a new energy development bank to help finance the green transition. Overseas, we also want to do everything we can to support countries, including Kazakhstan, in making the changes to its energy policy and protecting its nature,” said Leach. One such way is the launch of a Global Clean Power Alliance at the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference in Baku.
“We want to bring together the developed and developing world, using best practices and examples to share ideas, share policy frameworks, and teach each other how to move faster. We also want to do more to help countries like Kazakhstan access the climate finance and international funding needed to make the green transition,” she said.
Kazakhstan’s climate-related action
Reflecting on Kazakhstan’s climate goals, the ambassador encouraged the country to strengthen its commitments by enhancing its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and developing a robust adaptation plan to address climate-related challenges.
Under the Paris Agreement, Kazakhstan has committed unconditionally to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% from 1990 levels by 2030.
“What we would really like to see from Kazakhstan is nationally determined contributions, which focus on either making those targets tougher or giving more detail on how they will try to phase out coal more quickly,” said Leach.
“Coal and methane are key issues here. It was great that last year at COP28 [in Dubai], Kazakhstan joined the Global Methane Pledge, the initiative of the United States and the European Union, which aims to reduce methane emissions. But now we want that to be reflected in Kazakhstan’s NDCs,” she added.
The U.K., through a nearly £20 million (US$26 million) Central Asia Climate, Energy, and Water Program, is partnering with organizations such as the World Bank and Germany’s GIZ to support Kazakhstan and its neighbors in renewable energy and water management. The goal of the five-year program is to enable Central Asia to find collaborative solutions for shared challenges, particularly around energy and water resources.
Protection of biodiversity
Leach also praised Kazakhstan’s efforts in biodiversity conservation, specifically the restoration of the saiga antelope population and other species crucial to the Eurasian steppe.
“This is where Kazakhstan has such a wonderful story to tell. The Altyn Dala initiative over the last 15 years has saved the saiga from just a few tens of thousands to now almost two million. This is just the start,” she said. The ambassador also highlighted the return of Przewalski’s horses to Kazakhstan as a milestone in biodiversity protection.
British Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is one of the partners in the Altyn Dala initiative.
Referring to the recent success of the initiative, a finalist for Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, she expressed optimism about international recognition it brings to Kazakhstan’s conservation work. Kazakhstan-led project is competing in the Protect and Restore Nature category, and the winners of the prize will be announced on Nov. 6 in Cape Town.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed that the Altyn Dala initiative will win in the Protect and Restore Nature category. The ultimate prize is £1 million [US$1.3 million]. But even if they don’t win, just being among the 15 finalists will give them access to expertise, investors, and people who really want to support them. I believe this will help put Kazakhstan on the map, making its contribution to global biodiversity world-famous,” said Leach.
She also expressed support for the development of the nation’s first National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.
“It has been part of Kazakhstan’s homework as a member of the Biodiversity Convention. It is overdue. The UNDP and the ACBK [Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan] have been working to support the Ministry of Ecology in developing their draft action plan,” she added, noting that the adoption of these strategic documents will help unlock the financial support needed to protect Kazakhstan’s biodiversity.
Kazakhstan has also committed to designate 30% of its land as a protected area by 2030 under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at the Biodiversity Conference in Montreal in December 2022. “Kazakhstan is doing really well. It has already got about 10% of its land protected. There are also some other areas that could quite easily be turned into protected areas. (…) In a country the size of Kazakhstan, that is an enormous achievement,” said Leach.
She emphasized that the U.K. will continue to stand by Kazakhstan in these efforts.
