QAZAQ GREEN.  Nurlan Kapenov, Chairman of the Board of Qazaq Green RES Association, participated in the Seventh EU–Central Asia High Level Conference on 23-24 February 2023 in Rome, Italy.

Nurlan Kapenov spoke about the development of renewable energy in Kazakhstan: achievements, challenges and potential at the session with NGO / CSOs representatives: "The view from civil society".

"Today in Kazakhstan there are about 130 renewable energy facilities, generating 4.5% percent of the country’s overall electricity generation. Central Asian countries need to jointly develop the green energy sector, as well as the energy sector in general. Our joint efforts could create conditions to solve our problems in the electricity sector, as imbalances in the energy system," said Nurlan Kapenov.

Representatives of the Governments of the Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) of the European Union and the EU Member States responsible for the environment, climate change and water policies, international, regional and non-governmental organizations met at the Conference. The Conference is organised under the EU–Central Asia Platform for Environment and Water Cooperation at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The objectives of the Conference are:

• To present the results of the activities of the EU–CA Platform for Environment and Water Cooperation and its Working Group on Environment and Climate Change (WGECC) since January 2019;

• To identify priority areas for the EU–CA Platform for 2023-2025;

• To discuss and agree on practical steps for enhancing policy dialogue and capacity development in the field of environment, climate change and water in Central Asia.

The main discussion session focused on the main challenges and opportunities for the Central Asian region to accelerate the green transition and achieve Sustainable Development Goals from a civil society perspective.

The EU–Central Asia Platform on Environment and Water Cooperation was established in 2009, with Italy as lead country, as the reference framework for the cooperation between EU and Central Asian countries in the field of environment, water and climate change. The EU renewed the project “European Union – Central Asia Water, Environment and Climate Change Cooperation (WECOOP)” in October 2019 to run for three and a half years.

The project will continue strengthening the policy dialogue on sustainable development between the Central Asian countries, and to facilitate their cooperation with the EU on environment and climate change. Specifically, the project efforts will be focused on improving and rationalising policies and enhancing the capacities of national ministries and government agencies working in the relevant fields.

The WECOOP project aims to enhance environment, climate change and water policies in Central Asia through approximation to EU standards and to promote green investments in relevant sectors with the aim of contributing to measurable reductions in man-made pollution, including CO2 emissions.

The project activities will include support to the EU-Central Asia Platform for Environment and Water Cooperation (the Platform) and the EU-Central Asia Working Group on Environment and Climate Change (the WGECC). The latter includes representatives of the European Commission’s Directorates General for Environment and Climate Action.