Kazakhstan's road to carbon neutrality by 2060
From green food production to green energy, the concept of a sustainable economy is firmly rooted in Kazakhstan’s national strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
It is estimated that decarbonizing our economy could cut CO2 emissions by 9.335 billion tons. However, this will require transforming the energy system, which currently depends heavily on coal. A lot has to be done, including time, effort, and an investment of US $610 billion over the next decades.
Since the 1950s, average annual temperature in Kazakhstan has been increasing by 0.28°С by every decade, while average annual precipitation has been decreasing by 0.2mm every 10 years.
We have to act now, and it starts with each of us. Businesses have a responsibility to do their part. An increasing number of companies are now disclosing climate information and risks, including information on the carbon footprint of their products and decarbonization of supply chains.
In fact, the intensity of the change is so substantial that sustainable and ESG-focused investments doubled in 2018-2023 to USD $46 trillion.
I am glad to contribute through my work to accelerate carbon neutrality, be it through sustainable mining projects for the development of the renewable economy or the Central-Asian Institute of Environmental Research’s (CAIER) initiatives on climate change.
No doubt, we have already seen a shift from commitment to delivery, with 10,600 electric vehicles now registered in Kazakhstan, marking a 2.3-fold increase from last year. Moving forward, we will see our economy and people lean increasingly toward environment-friendly and low-carbon solutions.
Sustainable development and industrial innovation go hand in hand because only with industry can we build a better future for us all. Here, I am reminded of StoreDot (one of my investments), which is developing pioneering battery technologies based on the design and synthesis of both organic and inorganic compounds. We count as our partners names such as Daimler, BP, Eve Energy, TDK, and others. This initiative is a perfect example of nature meets tech!
I am happy that my country, Kazakhstan, is among the countries actively working to reduce its carbon footprint and take steps toward a greener future for our planet and next generations.
With the right standards and the active engagement of businesses, I am convinced that this vision can become a reality, and we can reach our ambitious target of carbon neutrality by 2060.
