Energy-rich Kazakhstan keen to transit to green economy
By Nigar Abbasova
Kazakhstan is keen on transiting the country to green economy.
Addressing to a meeting of the UN General Assembly Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Erlan Idrisov said that his country intends to partially transit to green economy by 2050, Ria Novosti reports.
“Our country is rich in energy reserves nevertheless we are adherent to develop green economy. We set an ambitious goal of generating 50 percent of power not by means of fossil fuel by 2050,” minister said. In this regard, the minister assured that Kazakhstan would ratify Paris Agreement on climate change which envisions that all countries should assume measures in order to reduce emissions.
With the largest and strongest performing economy in Central Asia, Kazakhstan has taken a leading role in the region in exploring the ways of transition to green economy. The country aims at diversifying the economy with alternative, cleaner sources of energy and reforms its agricultural and industrial sectors with the use of advanced brand-new technologies.
The concept of green economy stands for the limitations of natural resources expense and is targeted on scarce consumption of the limited resources (natural resources such as gas, oil) and rational use of unlimited resources. Main directions of the concept of “green” economy are introduction of renewable energy resources other than oil and gas, promotion of energy efficiency in housing and communal services, use of organic fertilizers for crop yield, improvement of waste management system, and development of “clean” transport. Transition to the green economy reduces risks of global threats such as climate change, exhaustion of natural resources and deficit of water. Experts say that the implementation of green economy will also allow avoiding ecological crisis.
The government has already established several organizations concerned in the smooth transition of Kazakhstan to green economy. The joint EU, UNDP, UNECE project “Supporting Kazakhstan’s Transition to a Green Economy Model” also envisages bringing of the water governance in the country into line with green economy strategy. The project envisages introduction of modern environmental governance system and water management policies, enhancement of environmental impact assessment procedures for sustainable use of water resources.
Kazakhstan's Green Economy Concept policy was adopted in May 2013, in response to the Rio+20 Earth Summit held in 2012