Kazakhstan showcases progress on climate goals at the 29th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties

November 15, 2024

At a side event of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP-29) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Republic of Kazakhstan presented its latest achievements in climate reporting, demonstrating its commitment to international climate obligations. The event, organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan and JSC "Zhasyl Damu," included participation from international representatives of Eastern Europe and CIS countries.

Kazakhstan shared key insights from its first Biennial Transparency Report during the event. This report encompasses data on the progress of the country's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), including a National Greenhouse Gas Inventory covering anthropogenic emissions and sinks from 1990 to 2022, modeling scenarios for the power sector, diverse emission projections, and recommendations for economic sector transformation and investment strategies.

"Kazakhstan is making strides in enhancing transparency and data accuracy across various economic sectors, including energy. The country has set an ambitious target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent from 1990 levels by 2030, or by 25 percent with substantial additional international investment and support. The government is improving legislation that is aligned with the financial and technological requirements necessary for economic sector transformation to meet this goal. Additionally, greenhouse gas emission scenarios are being modeled for all sectors, including energy, industry, agriculture, forestry, and waste,"

stated Mansur Oshurbayev, Vice-minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

According to UNFCCC requirements, each participating country presents biennial climate reports during COPs, outlining indicators and recording annual greenhouse gas emissions. Biennial reports reflect countries' progress in meeting climate targets.

From 2024, these reports will incorporate a new component for tracking NDC progress, allowing countries to enhance transparency in reporting, closely monitor NDC implementation, and increase ambitions for subsequent reports. Thus, this year countries are submitting Biennial Transparency Reports.

"In the triple planetary crisis context, we are rapidly approaching critical thresholds impacting human well-being, ecosystems, and overall development. Next year will be pivotal in the global fight against climate change, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement. As Kazakhstan's partner for over 30 years, UNDP supports the country's pursuit of sustainable development goals, increased climate ambitions, and alignment of national efforts with the 1.5°C target,"

emphasized Katarzyna Wawiernia, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan.

COP 29 of the UNFCCC started on 11 November and will continue until 22 November in Baku, Azerbaijan. COP 29 is expected to deliver significant decisions on new collective quantified goal under the Paris Agreement, which will be a cornerstone of climate finance in the coming years.

Notably, the UNFCCC serves as a universal international legal instrument in its scope. It enables Parties to uphold policies and measures to combat climate change while receiving financial assistance from international organizations to achieve these objectives. As a rule, important decisions are made annually at the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, that are also related to strengthening global cooperation in adaptation to climate change. For the first time in the history of climate negotiations, the Central Asia and Caucasus region is hosting the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC.

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