Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov chaired a meeting of the Council for the Transition to a Green Economy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, attended by representatives of NGOs and public figures.

The agenda focused on the implementation of measures to achieve target indicators for reducing harmful air emissions, introducing Best Available Techniques (BAT) at enterprises, and enhancing sustainability reporting (ESG).

“As part of the nationwide initiative Taza Kazakhstan launched by the Head of State, large-scale environmental renewal efforts are underway across the country. At the same time, we must reduce the environmental impact of industrial production. Achieving a green economy and carbon neutrality requires accelerating modernization in the industrial sector through the adoption of advanced technologies. A key priority is reducing emissions and greenhouse gases, as well as improving energy efficiency,” Bektenov emphasized.

Reports were heard from the leadership of Kazakhmys Corporation LLP, Kazzinc LLP, and Qarmet JSC regarding environmental modernization efforts in the Karaganda, East Kazakhstan, and Ulytau regions.

Kazakhmys has installed dust collection systems at its enrichment plants, increasing dust capture efficiency to 99.9%. The gasification of the Zhezkazgan copper smelter reduced emissions by 16%, while upgrades to water cooling systems at the Balkhash copper smelter cut fresh water usage by 35%. Furthermore, 100% of slag waste is now recycled into copper concentrate, crude lead, and other materials.

At Kazzinc’s metallurgical site in Ust-Kamenogorsk, emissions have dropped more than fourfold—from 69,000 tons in 2001 to approximately 15,000 tons today. The company plans to adopt BAT at its key facilities, including installing equipment to capture sulfur dioxide, reconstructing filters for particulate matter, and more. Total investment in these efforts will exceed 108 billion tenge.

Qarmet JSC is implementing a Roadmap for 2024–2030, which includes building new coke oven batteries with advanced gas purification, upgrading boiler equipment at Karaganda Metallurgical Plant’s CHPP-2 and PVS, switching several furnaces to natural gas, and modernizing air and water treatment systems. Over the past two years, Qarmet’s atmospheric emissions have decreased by 10.3%, and waste generation has dropped by 19.8%.

Public proposals on incentivizing new technologies, digitizing carbon emissions, and ensuring transparency of corporate environmental reporting were voiced by Bakyt Yesekina, Director of the Green Academy Scientific and Educational Center; Aigul Solovyeva, Chair of the Board of the Association of Environmental Organizations of Kazakhstan; and Vera Mustafina, Executive Director of the Kazakhstan Waste Management Association, KazWaste.

Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nysanbayev reported that Kazakhstan is annually tightening emission limits within the framework of environmental permitting. By 2035, the transition to cleaner technologies is expected to cut harmful atmospheric emissions by over 300,000 tons.

Olzhas Bektenov emphasized the importance of joint efforts among the NGO sector, scientific community, and businesses in achieving carbon neutrality. He also stressed the need for enterprises to prioritize workplace safety. The Government will strengthen oversight in this area.

Following the meeting, the Prime Minister issued several instructions to relevant ministries:

• Ministry of Ecology (in cooperation with industrial enterprises): Integrate the indicators of Kazakhstan’s Green Economy Transition Concept into strategic and environmental plans. Companies must publicly disclose information on their environmental impact through their official websites.

• Ministry of Industry and Construction (together with Kazakhmys and Kazzinc): Review energy efficiency targets and revise energy conservation plans based on energy audit findings.

• Ministries of Ecology, Labor and Social Protection, in collaboration with civil society and international organizations: Consider organizing a series of seminars and stakeholder meetings on ESG reporting implementation for industrial enterprises and ensure public access to this information.

• Ministries of Health, Science, and Higher Education: Explore launching in-depth scientific research on the health effects of industrial pollutants and develop relevant public health recommendations.

#Olzhas Bektenov #The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan #Green Economy #President's instruction

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