Carbon Market Development Prospects Discussed at the Astana International Forum

On May 30, 2025, a panel session titled “Potential and Prospects for Carbon Market Development in Central Asia” was held in Astana as part of the Astana International Forum. The event was organized by the Research and Educational Center “Green Academy” in cooperation with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, with the support of the OECD, the SIPA/IDDRI project (France), and the University of Central Asia (UCA). The aim of the session was to develop recommendations for establishing a carbon market as part of Kazakhstan’s Carbon Neutrality Roadmap.

The session opened with welcome remarks by Mr. Mansur Oshurbaev, Vice Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Mr. William Tompson, Head of the Eurasia Division at the OECD. The session was moderated by Dr. Bakhyt Yessekina, Member of the Green Economy Council under the President of Kazakhstan and Director of the “Green Academy” REC.

The participants were presented with the following reports:

OECD Experience in Developing Carbon Market Infrastructure and Carbon Market (Dr. George Safonov, SIPA OECD/IDDRI Project in CA);

UCA Vision on Institutional Support for Achieving Carbon Neutrality in Central Asia (Dr. Christopher Gerry, Rector of the University of Central Asia);

Uzbekistan’s Vulnerability to the Energy Transition: Insights from the ESTEEM Model (Dr. Sakir Devrim Yilmaz, Senior Researcher at AFD);

Decarbonization Potential and Carbon Market Prospects in Kazakhstan (Dr. Dosym Kydyrbaev, Rakurs Consulting Group);

Development of the Roadmap for Implementing Kazakhstan’s Carbon Neutrality Strategy (Kuanysh Beisengazin, Managing Partner, National Bureau of Economic Research).

The discussion featured contributions from Nurmaganbetov Z.A., Executive Director of the KAZENERGY Association, and Muratov R.M., docent at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, among others.

In conclusion, the speakers presented proposals highlighting the need for a formal mechanism for allocating quotas for offset units, as well as the role of Kazakhstan as a country with an operational emissions trading system, a national registry, and a relevant regulatory framework. The recommendations developed as a result of the session will be submitted to the Government of Kazakhstan. Over 70 participants attended the event in person.

The recording of the event: https://www.youtube.com/live/zcCujSQ4DKw?feature=shared… (2:21:14)

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