July 2014—In an effort to help reduce its contribution to climate change resulting from greenhouse gas buildup, Kazakhstan launched a greenhouse gas emissions trading program last year, which requires high-emitting businesses to reduce their emissions each year. However, many companies do not yet have the tools to comply with the requirements and the know-how to reduce their emissions footprint over time.

USAID’s Kazakhstan Climate Change Mitigation Program is designed to help the country achieve long-term sustainable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The program supports the Kazakhstan Government and business community to reduce greenhouse gases at both the national and corporate levels, and provides specialized training to help build the next generation of climate and energy professionals in Kazakhstan.

In partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and Zhasyl Damu, the administrator of Kazakhstan’s emission trading scheme, the program provides training to regulated entities and other carbon market participants on compliance with national carbon regulations. Over the course of six workshops in Astana and Almaty held in 2013 and 2014, the program team trained over 100 specialists from 62 companies, including many of Kazakhstan’s largest emitters from the oil and gas, energy, cement, and minerals and metal production sectors.

Trainees gained new skills in building greenhouse gas inventories based on national standards, preparing for third-party verification, and creating internal systems to manage their greenhouse gas emissions performance over time. USAID carbon market experts helped company representatives understand how to increase the competitiveness of their businesses in a carbon-constrained environment.

“We believe that it is important for participants to know that the trading system is improving in a lot of countries," said  Danira Baigunakova, head of the emissions trading system department in Kazakhstan at Zhasyl Damu. “We are glad that we have partners who can deliver independent and updated information. For us, it means a lot to have a third party who is helping to develop the emissions trading system in Kazakhstan.” 

The Kazakhstan Climate Change Mitigation Program, which runs from September 2013 through September 2016, is helping accelerate sustainable, climate-resilient economic growth in Kazakhstan while slowing the growth of greenhouse gas emissions. 

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