As part of his official visit to the United Arab Emirates, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev took part in the work of the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Development Week summit
In a speech at the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Development Week summit, President of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev emphasized the importance of addressing sustainable development for a cleaner and greener future. He acknowledged that due to geopolitical instability and lack of energy security, the topic of climate change has been pushed to the background but stressed the urgent need for action to save the planet. The President called on the international community to increase their contribution to financing measures to combat climate change and highlighted that Kazakhstan has made long-term commitments to achieve carbon neutrality. The country was one of the first to ratify the Paris Agreement and has formulated an ambitious policy aimed at diversifying the economy and promoting renewable energy sources and sustainable technologies.
K. Tokayev also discussed specific measures that his country is taking to ensure deep structural changes in industry and the economy, such as the new Environmental Code which encourages companies to invest in environmental modernization, and the adoption of industry standards for major industries. The country’s national system of quotas and trading of quotas for greenhouse gas emissions has already proved to be an effective mechanism for stimulating emission reductions and the development of energy efficiency technologies. The goal is to bridge the gap between national and European emissions trading systems and ensure the fulfillment of the obligations of the Paris Agreement by 2030.
The President also discussed the prospects for the development of renewable and alternative energy in Kazakhstan, noting that the country has the potential to become a leader in the sector, and plans to introduce 6.5 GW of renewable energy resources by 2035. He also mentioned the use of nuclear energy as one of the important factors in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the potential of “green” hydrogen and the country’s ability to enter the top ten exporters of hydrogen. Overall, President Tokayev emphasized Kazakhstan’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality and making deep structural changes in industry and the economy to promote a cleaner and greener future.
