Ecology of Kazakhstan: UNDP shared eco knowledge with Kazakhstanis

3 September, 2018 15:01

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) provides an opportunity to hold various festivals, forums, congresses with the involvement of experts, schoolchildren, students, teachers, parents in order to promote ecological cultural in the country broadly defined including energy saving, low-carbon urban development and climate change prevention.

One of such was the Together Brighter international eco-festival in Petropavlovsk. To know more read an article on Strategy 2050.kz.

The Eco-festival is an international initiative within the framework of a regional project to promote the energy efficiency of electrical household appliances and equipment in the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union.

This year, Kazakhstan picked up the baton. Educational master classes on the creation of art objects from waste are held within the framework of the festival, and explanatory work is carried out to form residents of the eco-consciousness.

Petropavlovsk became the final region of the eco-festival in Kazakhstan. Within the first day of the festival, a round table "Sustainability of the city in the implementation of the low-carbon development strategy" was held to support the implementation of low-carbon initiatives in cities and mechanisms to stimulate investments in the energy efficiency of the urban infrastructure of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Coordinator of the joint project of UNDP/GEF and Kazakhstan’s Government on Energy Efficiency Alexander Belyi, spoke about supporting the implementation of low-carbon initiatives in the cities of Kazakhstan.

“Kazakhstan Government’s and UNDP/GEF joint project contributes of government offices’ of 15 pilot cities including Petropavlovsk in in the definition, development and implementation of measures that can save energy (heat, electricity, as well as water). These measures cover houses, schools, hospitals, kindergartens, boiler houses and pumping stations, street lighting, etc., objects of urban economy, " Bely explained.

In his words the project provides assistance in search of the finance source for the implementation of such projects that result in saving on payment for energy and water. This savings can serve as a basis for debt financing for the implementation of projects in the urban sector.

Thus, first seven pilot cities of Kazakhstan underwent inventory of greenhouse gases by urban sectors according to international methodology, an analysis of the state of the municipal economy and a SWOT analysis of municipal opportunities for low-carbon development in all urban sectors.

The main urban sectors that form indirect greenhouse gas emissions in cities are: heat and electricity for residential buildings (60%), urban transport (18.4%), and municipal services - street lighting, pumping stations, heating and budget lighting / urban buildings, etc. (6.8%).

Taking into account the research and Kazakhstan's obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement for five cities have defined the goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the short-term (up to 2020) and long-term (up to 2030) prospects, priorities for achieving the goals and the volume of required investments, economically sound low-carbon city projects, which can be financed through attraction of loan investments. The analysis of risks associated with the implementation of projects and initiatives was carried out, and opportunities for attracting debt financing and co-financing for project implementation were assessed.

The project worked out a system of financial support for projects, which consists in subsidizing the interest rate on commercial loans in the amount of 10% of the nominal rate (no more than 19%) and guaranteeing the bank at a rate of 50% of the loan amount.

Projects aiming at energy saving in city heating, water supply, public and residential buildings; urban sewage and treatment systems; street and interior lighting have a right to get a financial assistance.

The list of approved projects includes modernization of boiler rooms, street lighting and lighting of buildings, thermo-modernization of residential buildings and other facilities. By the way, five projects are located on North of Kazakhstan.

UNDP/GEF Projects on low-carbon planning national expert Tolebay Adilov spoke about the Petropavlovsk low-carbon development.

UNDP has carried out in-depth analysis of the city's transport system, designed different scenario to develop transport system of the city including modernization of rolling stock, changes in the route network, arrangement of stopping complexes, dispatching systems, payment and infrastructure for bicyclists (bicycle paths, parking or bicycle rental), etc and suggested financial models of implementing of each scenario of the city transport system’s modernization.

The second day of the Festival was devoted to methodical meetings with the teachers of Petropavlovsk with the discussion of the issues of integrating technological environmental education into the work of educational organizations (the system of preschool, secondary, additional and professional education).

To recap, 2017 Together Brighter Festival dedicated to the promotion of energy saving lifestyle, was successfully held in schools and kindergartens of the Russian Federation.

This year’s event covers 12 regions and cities of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

It should be noted Armenia will take over the baton from Kazakhstan to hold similar events among schoolchildren, students and teachers.

The general partner of the Festival: Bosch. Partners of the Festival: Operator ROP LLP, Association of Ecological Organizations of Kazakhstan.

Kairat Zhandybayev