Kazakhstan is an upper-middle-income country whose economic growth has largely depended on the exploitation of fossil fuels since its independence. However, climate change, environmental degradation and waste pollution present significant threats. Kazakhstan is one of the biggest emitters of CO2 in the world in terms of emissions per capita, it is also flood-prone, exposed to extreme temperatures and impacted by glacier melting droughts.
The Government has taken progressive steps to promote sustainable development with ambitious targets set in the National Development Strategy Kazakhstan 2050 and Green Economy Concept. The country is also in the process of revising its Environmental Code to set the frame for sustainable use of natural resources.
Kazakhstan joined PAGE in 2018 to support the implementation of its National Development Strategy, the development of a new Low-Carbon Development Strategy, and the development of a legal regulatory framework to implement the updated Environmental Code. On a sectoral level, waste management is considered a focus area, together with green technology, public procurement, fiscal policy and building sustainable and climate-resilient regions.
This has contributed to several Sustainable Development Goals, including:
Learn more about PAGE work in Kazakhstan in our 2019 Annual Report
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NATIONAL POLICYMAKING
NATIONAL POLICYMAKING
Work is focused on the integration of low carbon development into the green economy strategic vision and Green Economy Concept, including:
Developing the waste section of the Low Carbon Development Strategy in partnership with other actors;
Supporting the implementation of Kazakhstan’s NDCs through review of good practices relating to fiscal policy to reduce carbon emissions in various sectors;
Providing technical advisory support to develop legal tools related to the new Environmental Code; and
Support for the update of the Economic Strategy 2025, factoring for the impact of the lower oil price and the pandemic
SECTORAL AND THEMATIC REFORM
SECTORAL AND THEMATIC REFORM
Work includes:
Developing a National Programme on Waste Management up to 2030, with circular economy principles incorporated;
Redirecting emission payments, collected on the regional level, to support the greening of SMEs and the adoption of green technologies;
Completing analysis and consultations on the feasibility of introducing a Policy and Action Plan for the implementation of sustainable public procurement.
STRENGTHENING CAPACITY
STRENGTHENING CAPACITY
To strengthen capacity, PAGE is
Completing a learning needs assessment of civil servants and stakeholders, with the goal of elaborating a capacity building programme with the Academy of Civil Servants;
Organizing a Building Back Better virtual capacity development event for Kazak civil servants from Kazakhstan and the Central Asian region; and
Organizing a high-level green economy awareness-raising event.
COUNTRY FOCAL POINTS
| Lead Agency Focal Point | Maya Valecha (UNITAR) |
| National Coordinator | Assel Nurbekova (UNDP) |
| Partner Agency Focal Points | Lesya Nikolayeva (UNEP) |
| Md Abu Saieed (UNIDO) | |
| Sarwat Chowdhury (UNDP) | |
| Arman Kaskinbekov (UNDP) | |
| Marek Harsdorff (ILO) | |
| Government Focal Points | Rashkid Karazkhaspayev, Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of RoK |
| Akhmetzhan Primkulov, Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of RoK | |
| Aliya Shalabekova, Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of RoK | |
| Arzan Shiranov, PAGE National Focal Point, Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of RoK |