BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 18. Some 75% of Kazakhstan is assessed to be at high risk of natural disasters due to climate change, Sylvie Motard, Acting Director of the UN Environment Programme’s Europe Office told Trend.
Motard noted that this year, Kazakhstan undertook a Voluntary National Review to assess its progress towards helping achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). It found that while the country continues to depend largely on fossil fuels, its renewable energy capacity is almost 11 times greater than it was six years ago. The ‘Green Kazakhstan’ project meanwhile aims to reduce air pollution from industry in cities by 57%, and see an ambitious two billion trees planted by 2025.
“Some 75% of Kazakhstan is assessed to be at high risk of natural disasters due to climate change. In response, the country has for the first time introduced norms on adaptation to climate change in priority sectors water, agriculture, forestry and disaster risk reduction. The country has furthermore developed a set of national SDG indicators, and these must be taken into account whenever the country prepares strategic documents on everything ranging from education to healthcare,” he said.
Therefore, Motard noted, while significant challenges remain and much is left to be achieved, Kazakhstan is demonstrating strong political will and ambition to ensure it is on the path to sustainable development.
In his words, the UN Environment Programme is very active in supporting Kazakhstan’s switch to an inclusive green economy. For example, together with partners under the Partnership for Action on Green Economy, UNEP has been working with the country to lay out a path for becoming carbon neutral by 2060. PAGE has also supported the drafting of Kazakhstan’s new environmental code, opening up new opportunities for green growth.
“In the meantime, an eye still needs to be kept on existing environmental threats. This is why UNEP is meanwhile helping to expand air quality monitoring in the country by putting in place low-cost PM2.5 sensors in new areas. The sensors detect microscopic particles of air pollution that can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing illnesses like heart and respiratory diseases, so that decision-makers can take action,” he added.
Furthermore, Motard said that UNEP’s Central Asia Office is based in Almaty, so a great deal of our political representation and project work takes place from Kazakhstan!
“One project launched this year focuses on the conservation of migratory mammals in Kazakhstan and neighbouring countries. We can expect results in due course that demonstrate how people’s livelihoods and wildlife can thrive alongside each other. Actions being considered include the rehabilitation of mountain pastures inside movement corridors for species and providing alternative livelihoods to communities along migratory routes. In the long-term, the programme aims to promote alternative land-use practices that can contribute to climate mitigation and reduce pressure on species living close to the communities,” he concluded.