Kazakhstan Environment - The Times Of Central Asia

Viewing results 13 - 18 of 381

Waste Processing

What’s Really Happening With Waste Processing in Kazakhstan

Official statistics suggest that Kazakhstan is making steady progress in recycling solid municipal waste (SMW), but a closer look reveals a significant technological shortfall. According to an analysis by Energyprom.kz, behind the rising recycling percentages lies a troubling gap between reported sorting and actual reuse. As of December 2025, the share of municipal waste reportedly recycled or reused had reached 28.6%, up from 25.9% at the end of 2024. On paper, this suggests progress toward the Ministry of Ecology’s target of 40% by 2040. However, the real picture is more complex. Only 1.1% of all municipal waste actually results in the production of secondary raw materials. Analysts emphasize the wide gap between the amount sorted and the amount truly recycled. According to Kazakhstan’s National Statistics Bureau, the country generates between 4.2 million and 4.8 million tons of municipal solid waste annually. In 2024, the figure hit a peak of 4.8 million tons. Of that, about 1.3 million tons were sorted and recorded as recycled or reused, more than one-quarter of the total. But crucially, this refers only to the volume that passed through sorting facilities. Much of the remaining 4.5 million tons was ultimately sent to landfill, including a significant share of the sorted waste. In 2024, 37.1% of sorted municipal waste, about 490,400 tons, was still landfilled. In other words, more than a third of the “recycled” waste never became usable raw material. In some regions, the situation is even more stark. At certain waste processing plants, including in Almaty, up to 85% of sorted waste ends up in landfill due to outdated technologies and limited processing capacity. Without substantial upgrades to equipment and processes, this is unlikely to change. That said, there has been measurable improvement. In 2023, 65.9% of sorted waste was landfilled, compared to 37.1% in 2024. Meanwhile, the volume of waste actually sent for recycling rose from 358,900 tons to 588,200 tons. Even so, only 49,200 tons of waste were ultimately processed into secondary raw materials, just 8.4% of the sorted waste and a mere 1.1% of Kazakhstan’s total municipal waste. For comparison, the figure was just 0.7% the previous year. More than 40% of waste processed at SMW facilities in 2024 consisted of plastic and paper, with plastic being the most straightforward to recycle. That year, 112,400 tons of plastic were recycled, an 8.5% increase over 2023. Waste paper collection reached 124,400 tons. Other materials processed include glass, metals, and used tires. Tire recycling has grown particularly quickly, with volumes increasing nearly twentyfold year-on-year. Despite this modest progress, Kazakhstan’s waste accumulation problem remains severe. The country has already amassed 48.3 million tons of solid waste. Of the approximately 3,000 landfills currently in operation, only 20.6% meet national standards. The best-performing regions include Zhambyl and Ulytau, as well as the cities of Astana and Shymkent. The worst conditions are found in North Kazakhstan, Turkestan, and Abai regions, where fewer than 3% of landfills comply with regulations. In 7 of Kazakhstan’s 20 largest cities, landfill capacity...

Water Crisis

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Launch Study to Revise Irrigation Regimes in Syr Darya River Basin

With grant funding from the French Development Agency (AFD), Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have launched a joint initiative to revise irrigation regimes in the Syr Darya River basin. The project, coordinated by the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, aims to optimize agricultural water use and improve environmental outcomes, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. In Kazakhstan, the study covers 550,000 hectares of irrigated farmland in the Turkestan Region and 254,000 hectares in the Kyzylorda Region. Ground-level measurements are underway alongside satellite-based remote sensing to collect precise and comprehensive data. The findings will inform updated irrigation schedules and help increase crop yields, reduce soil salinization and land degradation, and enhance water-use efficiency across the Syr Darya River basin. The project involves both the Kazakh Research Institute of Water Management and Uzbekistan’s Scientific Information Center of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) of Central Asian countries. Completion is scheduled for 2026. Talgat Momyshev, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, noted that the Aral-Syr Darya basin supplies water to over 35% of Kazakhstan’s irrigated land, with 98% of withdrawals going to agriculture. He emphasized the urgency of revising hydro modular zoning, which hasn’t been updated in four decades. “The existing zoning does not account for major changes in climate, soil conditions, and land reclamation status over the past 40 years. A revision is essential,” he said. The Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers are vital for irrigating agricultural land throughout Central Asia. At a November meeting in Ashgabat, ICWC members from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan approved new water distribution quotas for the non-growing season from October 1, 2025, to April 1, 2026. During the non-growing season, water is stored in reservoirs to meet irrigation needs for the following spring and summer. For the Syr Darya River, the total withdrawal quota for this period has been set at 4.219 billion cubic meters, allocated as follows: Uzbekistan: 3.347 billion m³ Kazakhstan: 460 million m³ (via the Dustlik Canal) Tajikistan: 365 million m³ Kyrgyzstan: 47 million m³ In the 2025 growing season, actual usage by country was as follows: Kazakhstan: 644 million m³ (out of a 909 million m³ quota) Uzbekistan: 7.012 billion m³ (of 8.8 billion m³) Tajikistan: 1.454 billion m³ (of 1.9 billion m³) Kyrgyzstan: 191 million m³ (of 270 million m³) The revision effort underscores growing regional cooperation around sustainable water management in one of Central Asia’s most critical river basins.

Wildlife

Kazakhstan to Permit Limited Saiga Horn Exports Under Strict Controls

Kazakhstan plans to begin limited and strictly regulated exports of saiga antelope horns, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, as reported by Nege.Aqsha. Minister of Ecology Yerlan Nysanbayev emphasized that unrestricted trade is not under consideration. He stated that exports will be allowed only under rigorous regulation, with restrictions on both volume and export mechanisms. A three-year quota system is expected to be implemented. A critical condition for authorizing exports is the establishment of a traceability system. Kazakhstan aims to integrate its national tracking database with China’s, enabling the monitoring of saiga horn derivatives from the point of harvest to final processing. Nysanbayev noted that this system has been under development since 2023. All harvested saiga horns are currently microchipped and individually registered to minimize the risk of illegal trafficking. The legal basis for these potential exports stems from a decision at the 20th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), held in Samarkand from November 24 to December 5. While this decision does not trigger automatic exports, it provides Kazakhstan with a legal framework to manage regulated trade in accordance with international agreements. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Ecology has finalized a national roadmap for managing the saiga population. As of May 2025, Deputy Minister of Ecology Nurken Shabiev confirmed the roadmap's completion, although the accompanying biological justification was still under preparation. “As many as they are ready to process will be seized to prevent a repeat of last year's experience, when there was damage in some places,” a ministry spokesperson said. Between July and November 2025, approximately 196,000 saigas were culled in Kazakhstan, with the carcasses transferred to local processing facilities. Kazakhstan is home to three main saiga populations, Betpakdala, Ural, and Ustyurt which together account for more than 90% of the global saiga population. As of March 2025, the total population in Kazakhstan stood at 4.1 million, a dramatic increase from the historical high of 1.2 million during the Kazakh SSR period. The saiga antelope has been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature since 2002. A nationwide moratorium on hunting and trade in saiga parts remained in effect until 2024. However, the sharp population increase led authorities to transition from a blanket ban to a model of regulated harvesting. The renewed interest in saiga horn exports is also driven by persistent demand in traditional Chinese medicine, where the antlers are highly valued.

Waste Recycling

Kazakhstan Boosts Solid Waste Recycling and Environmental Oversight

Kazakhstan is steadily increasing its municipal waste recycling rate, in line with national efforts to transition to a circular economy. According to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the recycling rate for newly generated solid waste rose to 28.6% in 2025, up from 25.8% the previous year. The country generates more than 4.5 million tons of municipal waste annually. To accelerate recycling efforts, the government is deploying a preferential financing mechanism funded by waste collection fees. In 2025, 63 waste management projects were approved, with 22 already financed at a total of approximately $174 million. The overall program allocates more than $360 million to modernize waste collection fleets and develop sorting and recycling infrastructure. Authorities expect these investments to push the solid waste recycling rate to 40% by 2030. Efforts to eliminate unauthorized landfills are also intensifying. Satellite monitoring identified 3,827 illegal dumps in 2025, of which 91% or 3,464 sites were removed. Environmental and law enforcement agencies recorded over 3,000 environmental violations during joint inspections. Infrastructure development remains central to Kazakhstan’s waste strategy. Construction is planned for three waste incineration plants in Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent, backed by investment agreements worth approximately $570 million. The facilities are expected to be completed within two to three years. Kazakhstan’s environmental initiatives are closely tied to international climate commitments. As a signatory to the Paris Agreement and a participant in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the country aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% from 1990 levels by 2030. Its Updated National Contribution sets a more ambitious target of a 17% reduction by 2035. By the end of 2025, regulatory emissions from the country's largest enterprises are projected to fall by 148,000 tons, or 7.2%, compared to 2022. Transparency has improved through automated monitoring systems, 74 of the 78 installed systems now transmit real-time air pollution data. Ecosystem restoration remains a national priority. Between 2021 and 2025, 18.1 million trees were planted in populated areas, exceeding initial targets. Under the broader goal of planting 2 billion seedlings, 1.5 billion have been planted over the past five years, with 208 million more planned for 2026. On the dried seabed of the Aral Sea, forest reclamation has been carried out across more than 920,000 hectares. The Caspian region is another focus area. A new Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of the Caspian Sea has been established by presidential initiative, and Kazakhstan is working with neighboring countries to develop an intergovernmental program for water conservation. The country has also proposed the creation of a UN agency for global water resource management.

Desertification

Turkmenistan and Spain Eye Regional Center to Combat Desertification in Central Asia

Turkmenistan and Spain have discussed closer cooperation to address desertification in Central Asia, including the possible creation of a regional center focused on land degradation. The talks took place in Ashgabat during a meeting between Turkmenistan’s Minister of Environmental Protection and Spain’s ambassador to Russia, Ricardo Martínez Vázquez, who is also accredited in Turkmenistan. The discussions followed Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s proposal at the United Nations General Assembly to establish a specialized regional center to combat desertification in Central Asia. The initiative is intended to strengthen cooperation among regional states and attract international expertise and funding. [caption id="attachment_41076" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Image: mineco.gov.tm[/caption] Desertification is a growing concern across Central Asia, a region where arid and semi-arid landscapes dominate much of the territory. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification defines desertification as land degradation in dry areas caused by climatic variations and human activities. According to the UNCCD, more than 20% of land in Central Asia is already degraded, affecting around 30% of the population. Much of this damage is linked to unsustainable water use, intensive agriculture, overgrazing, and the long-term effects of climate change. Spain’s interest in desertification in Turkmenistan is rooted in their shared status as nations on the front lines of climate change. As one of the European countries most vulnerable to soil degradation, Spain co-launched the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA) to export its expertise in "dryland" management and water conservation, which is directly applicable to the arid landscapes of Central Asia. This common challenge has fostered a diplomatic partnership focused on the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), where countries exchange strategies for land restoration and drought resilience. Beyond environmental solidarity, Spain views Turkmenistan as a critical emerging market for its advanced engineering and agricultural sectors. Major Spanish firms, such as TYPSA, are already active in the region, providing technical assistance for massive infrastructure projects, such as desalination plants on the Caspian Sea, and modernizing irrigation systems for thousands of hectares of farmland. This commercial engagement is bolstered by Spain's support for Turkmenistan’s proposal to host a Regional Center for Climate Change Technologies, which would serve as a hub for Spanish green tech in Central Asia. The bilateral relationship also aligns with the broader EU Strategy for Central Asia, which prioritizes environmental stability as a means of ensuring regional security. By helping Turkmenistan manage its dwindling water resources and combat the encroaching Karakum Desert, Spain contributes to the EU for a Green Turkmenistan initiative. This cooperation helps prevent resource-driven migration and instability, and strengthens trade ties in a region that is becoming increasingly vital for global energy and logistics. One of the most visible examples of desertification in the region is the collapse of the Aral Sea. Once the world’s fourth-largest inland lake, the Aral Sea began shrinking rapidly in the 1960s after its feeder rivers were diverted for large-scale irrigation projects. By the early 2000s, the sea had lost roughly 90% of its volume. [caption id="attachment_13621" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Desert ships on the former...

Water Resources

Kazakhstan Proposes Creation of UN Water Agency to Tackle Global Resource Challenges

At a forum marking the International Year of Peace and Trust and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed establishing a specialized United Nations body dedicated to the rational use of water resources. In his address, Tokayev emphasized the urgent need for enhanced global coordination in managing water diplomacy, noting that the current UN framework lacks a dedicated agency focused solely on water-related issues. UN-Water currently functions as a coordination mechanism rather than a specialized agency, bringing together more than 30 UN entities and dozens of international organizations involved in water and sanitation. Unlike bodies such as the World Health Organization or the Food and Agriculture Organization, it has no independent mandate, budget, or enforcement capacity, a limitation long cited by water policy experts. “Kazakhstan proposes the establishment of an International Water Organization that could consolidate all existing mandates of various UN organizations,” he said during the forum in Ashgabat. Central Asia is among the regions most exposed to water stress, with climate change, aging infrastructure, and competing national demands placing increasing pressure on shared river basins. Disputes over transboundary water use have periodically strained relations among regional states, making water diplomacy a persistent strategic concern. Tokayev suggested transforming the current UN-Water mechanism, a coordinating platform comprising 36 UN entities and 47 international organizations, into a fully-fledged UN agency with a specialized mandate on water and sanitation. “The implementation of such an initiative is fully in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and, of course, is in the interests of the entire international community,” he stated. The President also announced that Astana will host a Regional Environmental Summit in April 2026, during which Kazakhstan plans to initiate international consultations on forming the proposed global water organization. “I am confident that, with shared political will, water-related challenges can begin to be addressed systematically rather than in a piecemeal manner, as is currently the case,” he said. Tokayev stressed that in light of intensifying water scarcity, water conservation and rational usage have become critical priorities, not only for Kazakhstan but for all Central Asian nations. The Caspian Sea has experienced sustained water-level decline over recent decades, a trend scientists attribute to climate change, reduced river inflows, and rising evaporation. The issue has emerged as a growing concern for coastal states due to its implications for fisheries, energy infrastructure, and regional economic stability. He also highlighted the pressing need to address transboundary water use and the deteriorating ecological conditions of the Aral and Caspian Seas. Tokayev advocated for enhancing the effectiveness of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea through joint, compromise-based regional efforts and proposed that Russia be invited to join the Fund as an observer. “The current rate of the Caspian Sea’s shallowing threatens to become irreversible,” he warned, “which would trigger a chain reaction of environmental, socio-economic, and even political consequences.” Kazakhstan has already taken a leading role in regional initiatives to preserve the Caspian ecosystem. The country previously proposed a special intergovernmental...