OSCE Centre helps promote green growth in Western Kazakhstan

URALSK, Kazakhstan, 22 November 2013 – More than 70 participants took part in an OSCE-supported regional conference on green growth and Kazakhstan’s transition to the green economy, held today in Uralsk, Western Kazakhstan.

The event was supported by the Centre and organized in partnership with the Environment and Water Resource Ministry, the United Nations Development Programme, the local administration of Western-Kazakhstan region and the Zhaik-Caspian Aarhus Centre. It brought together representatives from the business community, academia, government and non-governmental organizations from the Atyrau, Mangistau and Western-Kazakhstan regions. The conference provided local leaders, managers and experts with an opportunity to discuss the transition to a more environmentally-friendly economy and to find greener solutions to the specific needs of their regions. The conference participants also learned about pilot projects in preparation for the EXPO-2017 which were presented by the Innovation Centre of the Western Kazakhstan region.

“The transition to a green economy and green growth are complex tasks which require co-operation and concerted action from government, local authorities, businesses, civil society and indeed all citizens, taking into account the relevant international experience at that,” said Ambassador Natalia Zarudna, Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana.

Davletzhanov Amangeldy, Head of the Natural Resources and Environmental Regulation Department of the West Kazakhstan region said: "In today's world, progressive economic development inadvertently causes problems for the preservation and rational use of natural resources. Preserving non-renewable resources, using alternative energy sources more and developing the green economy are among main goals of our region."

The conference concluded a series of similar events held earlier this year across the country, with the support of the OSCE Centre, in Almaty, Karaganda, Kokshetau, Kyzylorda, Oskemen and Pavlodar. The series aimed at raising awareness of and building capacity for the implementation of Kazakhstan’s national strategy for transitioning to a green economy.

During her visit to Uralsk Ambassador Zarudna also met with Nurlan Nogayev, Governor of the Western Kazakhstan Region, to discuss current and future co-operation. She delivered lectures at Western-Kazakhstan State University named after Utemisov and Kazakh University of Innovation and Telecommunications Systems on the OSCE principles, values and activities to the students and faculty members.