CLIMATE LEGISLATION AHEAD OF COP-30 DISCUSSED IN ASTANA

On September 12, 2025, the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted an Expert Seminar on “Improving Climate Legislation for Carbon Investment in Kazakhstan”, organized by the “Green Academy” Research and Educational Center together with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, with the support of the OECD and the SIPA/IDDRI project (France). The purpose of the event was to discuss proposals for amendments to the Environmental Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan aimed at improving carbon investment.

The seminar opened with welcoming remarks delivered by: Baurzhan Smagulov, Secretary of the Committee on Ecology and Nature Management of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, Johannes Baur, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, Mansur Oshurbayev, Vice Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, Asferachew Abate, Senior Environmental Specialist at The World Bank.

The first session, “Directions for Improving Climate Legislation in Light of Achieving Carbon Neutrality in Kazakhstan”, was moderated by Dr. Bakhyt Yessekina, Member of the Council on Green Economy under the President of Kazakhstan, Director of the “Green Academy” REC.

Participants heard the following presentations:

– Activities of the ARDFM in Promoting ESG and Green Finance in Kazakhstan (Mariya Khajiyeva, Vice-Chairman of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market);

– Outcomes of the UNFCCC Conference in Bonn and Recommendations for Kazakhstan under Articles 6.4–6.8 (Alexey Kokorin, “Nature People” Foundation, International Expert);

– Proposals for the Development of the Carbon Market in Kazakhstan (Assel Nurakhmetova, AIFC, Director of the Carbon Platform).

The second session, “Proposals for the Environmental Code of Kazakhstan”, was moderated by Yuliya Yakupbayeva, Chair of the Council on Sustainable Development and ESG at the “Atameken” National Chamber of Entrepreneurs.

Reports presented included:

– Improving Carbon Neutrality Planning (Peline Atamer, Head of the OECD International Climate Action Program / Georgy Safonov, Senior Expert, IDDRI, France);

– Measures for Integrating Kazakhstan’s Carbon Projects into International Carbon Markets (VCM, Art. 6) (Dosym Kydyrbayev, Managing Director, Rakurs Consulting Group LLP);

– Kazakhstan’s Potential in Carbon Financing (Oleg Pluzhnikov, Article 6 Expert, Climate Strategy, UK).

The discussion featured contributions from Members of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Ajar Sagandykova and Nurzhan Ashimbetov, Director of the Kazakhstan Association “EcoJer”, Rustem Kabzhanov, Deputy Director of the Climate Policy Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, Shattyk Tastemirova, Director of “Valor Carbon” in Central Asia, Nurzhan Aspandiyar, among others.

In conclusion, proposals were presented for systematic efforts to attract sustainable, green, and climate investments and technologies. Ahead of COP-30, it was recommended to accelerate the adoption of the Roadmap for Achieving Carbon Neutrality and to consider establishing an Agency on Climate Policy to carry out systemic work. The seminar, held in a hybrid format, brought together over 80 participants.