Decarbonizing Kazakhstan: What Future Awaits Mining Regions and Towns?
This policy brief assesses how Kazakhstan’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality could impact the country’s mining regions and towns. To make this assessment, authors review Kazakhstani decarbonisation and regional development policy, official statistics, expert interviews, and international cases attempting similar transitions. The resulting analysis points to three potential scenarios for the future of mining regions and towns (zero scenario, rapid transition and slow transition). By comparing the potential positive and negative economic, social, and environmental consequences of these scenarios, authors recommend policies to prepare mining regions and towns in Kazakhstan for decarbonization with a goal of achieving just, equitable, and sustainable development.
This research was carried out as part of the Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs – The Kazakhstan Futures Program (January-September 2023) with financial support from the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan.
