ASTANA—Astana hosted the conference on Oct. 23, marking the end of a two-year European Union-funded project aimed at empowering local communities and enhancing public involvement in environmental decision-making in the Karagandy Region, one of the country’s most industrialized areas.
Official data indicates that, as of 2022, enterprises in the region released over 600,000 tons of pollutants into the atmosphere annually, accounting for 24% of the country’s total emissions. Photo credit: baigenews.kz Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
The project, implemented by the Karagandy Regional Ecological Museum with the support of German and Czech partners, focused on one of Kazakhstan’s most industrialized regions.
With its heavy industrial base, Karagandy has long been a center for mining, steel production, and energy generation, making it particularly vulnerable to both environmental degradation and the consequences of global warming. Official data indicates that, as of 2022, enterprises in the region released over 600,000 tons of pollutants into the atmosphere annually, accounting for 24% of the country’s total emissions.
What is the project about?
The project strengthened climate action in the region in a broader effort to support the country’s progress toward meeting its national commitments under the Paris Agreement.
“Everything you see here was prepared as part of two projects funded by the EU and Germany with the support of the Czech government. Both projects aimed to develop real, state-backed plans for the Karagandy Region with secured funding. These plans already include concrete measures to protect us from climate change,” said Dmitry Kalmykov, the museum’s director for development.
Presenting the project results, Irina Ignatovich from the museum said the project comprised several areas.
“This encompasses collaboration on climate change issues and practical projects, as well as training for specialists and the younger generation, and the direct development of policies to reduce the impact of climate change and adapt to its consequences. Over the two years of the project, we held several dozen seminars for decision-makers and interested public stakeholders. Experts from the Czech Republic, Germany, and the United States participated in these seminars, sharing the experiences already applied in their countries, which helped us develop our climate strategy for the Karagandy Region,” said Ignatovich.
As part of the project, an online course was developed. Originally aimed at high school students, it was later used by university students. The course provided a foundational understanding of climate change, using infographics, diagrams, and expert interviews to explain complex issues and highlight the specific impacts of climate change in Kazakhstan.
She also noted the efforts to train journalists, given a noticeable increase in climate change coverage in Kazakh media. The project sought to equip media professionals with the tools to effectively report on these topics and work with relevant data. Six media projects also received mini-grants to bring their ideas to life.
“More than 350 teachers from 14 regions of Kazakhstan were trained, with the support of the National Academy of Education named after Altynsarin, on how to integrate climate change topics into school curricula. Public engagement activities included exhibitions, awareness campaigns, open-air events, and various environmental actions. More than 5,000 people participated in these events,” said Ignatovich.
The project also concluded with various studies and publications in collaboration with Czech and German colleagues, including an overview of Kazakhstan’s greenhouse gas accounting system, a study on air quality conducted through satellite monitoring, and practical recommendations for businesses and public organizations on how to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Key outcome
According to Kalmykov, one of the most significant outcomes was the development of a local climate action plan, which outlines specific strategies for the Karagandy Region.
“Our ultimate goal was for the regional authorities to adopt the project’s results as an official state document. Here is the cover of the document, which is currently under review by the regional akimat [city administration]. This is the low-carbon development plan for the Karagandy Region. It turned out that we found a way to make it legally viable, and in doing so, we have actually taken a step ahead of the entire country,” said Kalmykov.
Dmitry Kalmykov and Martin Skalský, who represent Arnika, a Czech non-profit organization. Photo credit: Assel Satubaldina/ The Astana Times
He mentioned the target indicators for environmental quality, a document that each region develops every five years. This document sets specific goals to be reached by certain deadlines, such as increasing forest cover, expanding protected areas, or reducing waste volumes.
“Since the introduction of the new Environmental Code in 2021, these indicators also include targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. But how can you determine how much needs to be reduced in a region without creating a plan and calculating current emission levels? This is the approach we have taken,” said Kalmykov.
Economic losses
He stressed the significant economic losses from climate change. “Unfortunately, the full extent of the damage to the region hasn’t been thoroughly calculated yet. For example, two years ago, around 30% of the wheat harvest was lost because it couldn’t be harvested due to heavy August rains. These are enormous losses. As for floods, you are all aware of how catastrophic they have become, and they are happening more frequently, washing away roads,” said Kalmykov.
The fluctuating temperatures also damage roads and linear infrastructure.
“Beyond that, the economy faces further threats, such as losing competitiveness, as the rest of the world moves toward carbon regulation, environmental taxes, methane emissions taxes, and more,” he added.
Support from international partners
Environmental protection is a key pillar of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU, and both recognize the urgent need to mitigate the impacts of climate change, said Aleška Simkić, head of the EU delegation to Kazakhstan.
“We are happy that one big result is that this project was instrumental in developing the first regional strategy,” said Simkić, highlighting a long-standing strong partnership with Kazakhstan.
Speaking to The Astana Times, Simkić said Kazakhstan and the EU have been working closely together since the signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in 2019. The agreement covers a wide range of topics, including trade, agriculture, and the environment.
Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Kazakhstan Pavol Šepel’ák and Head of the EU delegation to Kazakhstan Aleška Simkić. Photo credit: Nargiz Raimbekova/ The Astana Times
According to her, the EU also faces significant environmental challenges from climate change. “We have a joint responsibility to deal with climate change,” she added.
She pointed out that the key focus of the project in the Karagandy Region is action on the ground, which aligns with the EU’s approach of addressing local issues through community engagement.
While high-level agreements and targets, such as the Paris Agreement, are essential, she noted convincing citizens of the importance of these issues is equally crucial.
“This project is exactly that. It is the cooperation between the local authorities in Karagandy and the NGOs with our support. But, it is really for the local communities to decide how they will contribute to reaching the goals of the Paris Agreement,” she added.