Kazakhstan Environment - The Times Of Central Asia

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Kazakhstan to Plant Forests to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions

On November 18, the British company SEFE Marketing & Trading Ltd. and Kazakhstan’s SAFC LLP signed an emission removal purchase agreement, marking the launch of the country’s first forest climate project. The project aims to plant 3.3 million trees across 1,500 hectares in the Almaty region. According to forecasts, the initiative will achieve an average annual reduction of 26 tons of CO₂ per hectare. Over the 30-year project period, this is expected to remove 1.2 million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Additionally, the project is designed to promote agroforestry, ecotourism, and job creation in the region. During a meeting with one of SEFE's Vice-Presidents, Alexander Demidov, and SAFC's CEO Yuri Kim, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting environmental initiatives. “We strive to create favorable conditions for attracting foreign investment in environmental projects. The government supports projects aimed at restoring ecosystems, reducing carbon footprint, and developing a green economy,” he stated. Kim added: “This project was supported by the President of Kazakhstan and the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, and now we are starting its practical implementation. By combining the competencies of SEFE and SAFC, we will demonstrate Kazakhstan's broad capabilities for attracting foreign investment.” According to Atameken, the project not only lays the groundwork for others to follow suit but also leads the way for new investment opportunities in carbon farming. This approach marks a new stage in diversifying Kazakhstan’s economy, creating potential revenue streams from agricultural production and greenhouse gas emission trading. Kazakhstan’s forest climate initiative demonstrates the country’s commitment to sustainability while attracting foreign investment to bolster its green economy.

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Scientists Investigate Deaths of 1,000 Caspian Sea Seals

More than 1,000 seal carcasses have washed ashore along a stretch of the Caspian Sea coast in the last month, according to the Kazakh government. The mass death of seals in the area has previously been reported, and similar events have occurred over the years. But new data from the Ministry of Agriculture reveals the large scale of the latest losses as scientists study tissue samples taken from the carcasses to find out why the seals died. “The Fisheries Committee suggests that natural phenomena, including natural gas emissions caused by underwater earthquakes, might be the reason behind the deaths,” the ministry said on Thursday. “Final conclusions regarding the causes of the seal deaths will be determined after laboratory tests are completed, which, according to scientific organizations, will take 3–4 months.” Fisheries officials discovered 1,034 seal carcasses along the coast in the Tupkaragan district of the Mangystau region of western Kazakhstan between Oct. 24 and Nov. 13, according to the ministry. So far, tests of tissue samples are negative for a number of infectious diseases. Kazakh officials attributed the deaths of nearly 200 seals in late 2022 to pneumonia, while noting that environmental pollution in the Caspian Sea had made their immunity systems more vulnerable to infectious diseases. Concerns about the impact of oil extraction, industrial waste and other environmental damage on the sea’s ecoystem are increasing. Scientists have recorded mass deaths of seals in the Caspian Sea for more than two decades. In 2000, the deaths of about 10,000 seals was attributed to chronic toxicosis.

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Fueling Growth: IFC Strategic Initiatives for Sustainable Development in Central Asia – An Interview With Hela Cheikhrouhou

With its headquarters in Washington, D.C. the International Finance Corporation (IFC) was established in 1956 as the private-sector arm of the World Bank. The institution offers advisory, and asset-management services to promote investment in developing countries. Recent ventures in Central Asia include solar power projects in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, and an entrepreneurship scheme for women and young people in Tajikistan. TCA spoke with Hela Cheikhrouhou, IFC Vice President for the Middle East, Central Asia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, and Pakistan about the IFC’s work in Central Asia. TCA: Can you please give us an overview of IFC's performance in Central Asia for fiscal year 2024 (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024)? IFC had a pivotal year in Central Asia, making strides in sustainable development and inclusive growth across the region. Our efforts concentrated on climate finance, infrastructure, agriculture, and supporting smaller businesses. By coupling investments with advisory support, we helped expand the role of the private sector, creating jobs, promoting financial inclusion, strengthening infrastructure, and supporting the region's green transition. In the fiscal year 2024, IFC committed over $1 billion to Central Asia. This includes about $400 million in long-term financing from our own account, $600 million in mobilization, and $35 million in short-term trade and supply-chain finance to facilitate trade flows. Alongside these financial commitments, we engaged in advisory projects focused on improving financial inclusion, developing innovative public-private partnerships (PPPs), and advancing climate initiatives and gender equality. Our results this year underscore our commitment to fostering sustainable, inclusive growth, and enhancing the resilience and sustainability of Central Asian economies. TCA: Can you highlight some of the IFC’s key achievements in Central Asia this year? In addition to the strong financial commitments mentioned earlier, IFC expanded its presence in various sectors, including finance, capital markets, renewable energy, agriculture, and infrastructure. Through our advisory services, we helped structure impactful PPPs at the sectoral level. A major focus this year has been strengthening local financial markets. IFC invested $228 million across ten financial institutions in Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Up to half this amount was dedicated to supporting women entrepreneurs and rural enterprises. We also helped these financial institutions expand portfolios related to their micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) businesses, advance climate finance, foster digital transformation, and issue the region’s first sustainability, social, and green bonds. Supporting MSMEs has enabled entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and generate employment. In the past fiscal year alone, IFC-supported projects created around 35,000 direct jobs, including opportunities for over 13,000 women across the region. These efforts have been further bolstered by targeted investments and projects in individual countries across the region. In Uzbekistan, IFC, together with the World Bank, financed a new solar plant equipped with the country’s first battery energy storage system. Once completed, the plant is expected to provide electricity access to around 75,000 households in the Bukhara region. As part of its broader support for the Uzbek government’s efforts to reform its chemical sector, IFC assisted the State Asset Management Agency in privatizing Ferganaazot,...

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Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan Forge Green Energy Partnership

On November 13, on the sidelines of the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Ilham Aliyev, the leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, signed an agreement for a strategic partnership in developing and transporting green energy. Calling the signing of this agreement a historic event, Aliyev said that “it opens new opportunities for cooperation between the regions of Central Asia and the Caucasus. In fact, the integration processes, the processes related to transportation, energy, and trade between the regions of Central Asia and the Caucasus, allow us to say that these two regions are acting in a synchronized manner in many areas, including in the field of green energy development.”. The Azeri president added that constructing an electric cable under the Caspian Sea could lead to broader regional collaboration. Aliyev also highlighted Azerbaijan's ongoing plans to construct a cable from Azerbaijan along the bottom of the Black Sea to Europe. “The feasibility study for this project is nearing completion, so we will connect Central Asia, the Caucasus, Europe, the Caspian, and the Black Seas with a single energy corridor,” he stated. In his speech, Tokayev said the trilateral agreement opens new opportunities for integrating the energy systems of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan, as well as for creating reliable corridors to supply environmentally friendly energy to European and other markets. “Kazakhstan plays an extremely important role here as a large transit territory. The practical results of this Agreement will also contribute to developing the Middle Corridor as a ‘green bridge’ connecting our economies. Close cooperation in this key area will intensify the exchange of experience and advanced technologies between the three states and further strengthen our energy security,” Tokayev said. Mirziyoyev emphasized the environmental significance of this agreement, noting, “The energy that will be transmitted is wind and solar energy, which will help mitigate the impact on the climate. In this way, we support joint efforts to protect the climate within the framework of the Paris Agreement and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” he added. The three presidents also witnessed the signing of an Executive Program on cooperation in green energy development and transmission by the energy ministers of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Saudi Arabia.

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COP29: Environmental Initiatives in the Real World

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has addressed the World Climate Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan. In his speech he spoke about the country's environmental problems, but also mentioned opportunities for new eco-friendly projects. At the same time, many world leaders did not attend the summit, and activist Greta Thunberg said climate problems should be discussed at other venues. Tokayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan's commitment to the global climate agenda and emphasized the importance of international cooperation in the fight against climate change. He reminded forum participants that carbon neutrality by 2060 can only be achieved with close cooperation and technology exchange. “Access to predictable funding and state-of-the-art technology is vital to achieving the targets. The NCQG should pay special attention to regions most vulnerable to climate change, including landlocked developing countries. Despite accounting for only 1% of global emissions, Central Asia faces multiple climate risks. To increase efficiency, we must actively utilize advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, satellite monitoring, and other digital tools to provide early warning and better management of water and land resources,” Tokayev said. Tokayev added that Kazakhstan has opportunities for transition to better agriculture. According to him, the republic, which has 200 million hectares of agricultural land, is an ideal platform for introducing “carbon farming." The president said these agricultural production methods can reduce emissions and improve soil quality. “Our country provides 43% of the world's uranium supply and plays a significant role in developing low-carbon nuclear power. In October this year, ROK citizens supported the construction of a nuclear power plant in a nationwide referendum. We strive to ensure the safety and efficiency of this project through partnership with the world's technological leaders in energy”, added Tokayev. He separately emphasized the problem of the world's water resources. “Climate change is already seriously impacting the global water cycle. Water-related disasters account for more than 80% of all natural disasters. This year, the ROK faces unprecedented floods. To respond quickly in the future and recover from such emergencies, we are implementing a comprehensive risk management system. In partnership with France, Kazakhstan will hold the One Water Summit in December to actualize the water agenda. Participants of this forum will discuss the problems of global water management,” Tokayev said. “Today, the Caspian Sea is under threat. Saving the world's largest lake is a problem that requires long-term international cooperation. We support President Ilham Aliyev's (Azerbaijan) initiative to create a group of experts from the Caspian littoral states. Additionally, Kazakhstan is taking concrete steps to preserve the Aral Sea,” he added. Also, within the framework of the World Climate Summit in Baku, an important agreement for Kazakhstan's water sector was signed. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Nurlan Baybazarov said the Islamic Development Bank will finance Kazakhstan's $1.1 billion project for water resources development, which will be realized in nine regions. Kazakhstan is not standing still Today, Kazakhstan has several major environmental projects in operation. These include the Astana Green Belt, which has significantly improved the city's ecology, reduced air...

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Kazakhstan Secures Agreement for 11 Billion Cubic Meters of Water from Neighboring Countries by April 2025

Kazakhstan will receive approximately 11 billion cubic meters of irrigation water from the Syr Darya River by April 2025, following an agreement made by Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, with representatives from neighboring Central Asian countries. The accord was reached at the 87th meeting of the Interstate Coordination Water Management Commission held last week in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and attended by water ministry leaders from Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, with Kyrgyzstan as an observer. This substantial water supply is expected to fill the Shardara reservoir in southern Kazakhstan by April 1, 2025, providing enough water for the region's 2025 irrigation season. Given Kazakhstan’s reliance on irrigation for agriculture, particularly in the arid south, the flow from upstream countries like Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan is vital. Nurzhigitov noted, "This year, thanks to negotiations and joint actions, we ensured the effective water distribution in the Syrdarya River basin. Agreements on water and energy cooperation with Kyrgyzstan were implemented, and measures were taken to coordinate the operating mode of the Bakhri-Tojik reservoir [in Tajikistan] during this year’s irrigation season.”