NUR-SULTAN – The volume of environmental protection expenditures in Kazakhstan reached 417 billion tenge (US$855 million) in 2021, 8.6 percent more compared to 2020 and 0.8 percent less than the record level in 2019, energyprom.kz reports on July 18.
Atyrau, Aktobe, Zhambyl and the East Kazakhstan regions accounted for more than half of all environmental protection expenditures. Photo credit: sustainabilitydegrees.com
Atyrau, Aktobe, Zhambyl and the East Kazakhstan regions accounted for more than half of all environmental protection expenditures.
Meanwhile, enterprises and organizations spent a record 245.8 billion tenge (US$504 million), a 16.8 percent increase compared to 2020, to ensure a smooth operation of technological processes, as well as the maintenance of vehicles and equipment designed to prevent, reduce, and eliminate pollutants.
Costs in the industrial sector made up approximately 90 percent. Next are costs in the public administration, defense and welfare, construction, transport and warehousing sectors.
Wastewater treatment required 94.2 billion tenge (US$193 million), 40.6 percent more compared to 2020, the biggest cost in environmental protection last year. Next are waste management, air protection and climate change costs, as well as the protection and rehabilitation of soil, groundwater and surface water projects.
The enterprises’ own funds remain the main source of financing environmental protection costs. In 2021 they reached 317.7 billion tenge (US$651.4 million), which is 12.9 percent more than in 2020. The state budget allocated 6.7 billion tenge (US$13.7 million), and local budgets – 16.2 billion tenge (US$ 33.2 million).
