Concept for transition of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Green Economy

Laws and Policies

CCLW

CCLW national policies

Amended

Law passed

The Concept for Sustainable Development (Concept) is a comprehensive guide to planning national development over a period of nearly two decades. The Concept was developed within the framework of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, 2002) by the Ministry of Environment with support from UNDP, UNEP-EU, as well as scientists and experts. A 2013 version was subsequently released.<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;This policy calls for the increase of the environmental sustainable index up to 10% by 2012, 15% by 2018, and 25% by 2024.<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;The Concept lays out the four stages of development:</div><ul><li>Preparation stage (2007-2009) is to establish the institutional readiness to integrate sustainable development principles into all aspects of political and economics spheres</li><li>In the first stage (2010-2012) the country aims to become one of the fifty most competitive countries in the world economy</li><li>During the second stage (2013-2018) the focus is on quality of life for citizens, decrease in environmental degradation, and increase of environmental sustainability</li><li>The third stage (2019-2024) Kazakhstan will achieve international standards of sustainable development</li></ul><div>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;The general goal of the Concept is 'to achieve an economic, social, environmental, and political balance of the development of the Republic of Kazakhstan as a base for improvement of quality of life and provision for the competitiveness of the country in the long-term period.'<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;The decree lays out eight principles for Kazakhstan's sustainable development broadly related to improving the economic and social development indicators of the country. The principles are followed by 16 priorities, a number of which are related directly or indirectly to climate change mitigation or adaption. Those priorities are:</div><ul><li>Introduction of sustainable models of production and consumption</li><li>Introduction of innovative environmentally safe technologies</li><li>Development of sustainable transport systems</li><li>Energy efficiency and energy saving</li><li>Development of science and education for sustainable development</li><li>Prevention and alleviation of environmental threats to the human health</li><li>Decrease of emissions, including GHG and ODS</li><li>Access to quality drinking water</li><li>Solutions to trans-boundary environmental problems</li><li>Waste management</li></ul><div>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;The section on environmental sustainability highlights the need to follow a development path that decreases the anthropogenic impact on climate change. The plan stipulates that the country should use national and local budgets in addition to international loans and grants to achieve its sustainable development goals; the adoption and enforcement of 'polluter pays' policies meant to penalise those entities that contaminate the environment (including excessive CO2emissions), the introduction of trading emissions quota system (the ETS, now in its first year of operation).