Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan has a wide range of ecological zones, including semi-arid, forested steppes, warm moderate deserts, cold semi-deserts, wetlands and meadows. The country’s biodiversity faces threats from irrigation and agricultural expansion, industrialization, pollution and road construction. Kazakhstan has been working to promote the sustainable management of its ecosystems through actions that seek to mainstream biodiversity into national development frameworks.

• Through the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources, Kazakhstan hosted the Central Asia Regional Trialogue in 2019 to raise awareness on the key messages of the two interlinked IPBES Thematic Assessment Reports on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production and Land Degradation and Restoration.
• The country has received support from BES-Net to contribute to national efforts addressing land degradation, building on the latest knowledge and evidence.
• Under BES-Net II, Kazakhstan received catalytic support through the BES Solution Fund to implement key priority actions identified during the Trialogue, including the development of demonstration plots to inform communities and raise awareness of pollinator-friendly land restoration techniques.
• At the end of the BES Solution Fund support in 2024, the country had completed the successful demonstration of sustainable agriculture techniques such as the green grass conveyor technique of crop rotation in the Kostanay and Almaty regions, among other achievements.
• In collaboration with regional partners, BES-Net also conducted a comprehensive study on the nexus of climate change, land degradation and water to tackle the intricate challenges of the Aral Sea region and devise effective strategies for sustainable land and water management. The final report from the study is undergoing validation and will be published as a reference document.
• Kazakhstan joined IPBES as its 146^th member state in 2024, demonstrating its strong commitment to biodiversity protection and management.

Implementing agency: UNDP Kazakhstan

Government Partner: Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources