Who will help Kazakhstan adapt to climate change?

The role of universities in training specialists

October 14, 2026

Man and woman presenting in a classroom; man points to charts on a whiteboard. — Photo: UNDP Kazakhstan/ Danil Akramov

Droughts, floods, mudflows and extreme heat are already affecting communities across Kazakhstan. These climate-related hazards are changing agricultural conditions, placing additional pressure on water resources and creating new challenges for regional development planning. To make informed decisions, regions need specialists who can assess climate risks and identify measures to reduce potential damage.

But where can these specialists be trained? Regional universities have an important role to play. They equip future environmental professionals, researchers, civil servants and other specialists with the knowledge and skills needed to strengthen climate resilience. Their decisions will help shape how effectively Kazakhstan’s regions respond to climate change. Integrating climate risk assessment into university education and research requires investment in teaching capacity. Lecturers need to develop expertise in modern assessment methods, incorporate these approaches into their courses, apply them in research and work with local authorities.

Aerial view of a shallow blue lake amid flat yellow-green plains under a cloudy sky. — Photo: UNDP Kazakhstan/ Andrey Volovik

To strengthen this expertise, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan organized a series of practical workshops in Petropavl, Kyzylorda, Semey, Aktau and Astana. More than 100 participants representing 12 universities took part, including lecturers, researchers, curriculum developers, teaching and learning specialists, and academic staff and department heads working in ecology, climate change and sustainable development. Representatives of regional administrations also attended some of the workshops.

The training began with an overview of climate adaptation in Kazakhstan. Saulet Sakenov, Climate Projects Analyst at UNDP Kazakhstan, explained that adaptation is a relatively new area of the country’s climate policy. For many years, Kazakhstan’s climate agenda focused primarily on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and developing renewable energy. Climate adaptation addresses a different challenge: climate change is already happening, and communities, infrastructure and economic sectors need to prepare for its impacts.

This approach is now reflected in national legislation. Recent amendments to Kazakhstan’s Environmental Code introduced specific provisions governing climate change adaptation as a distinct area of climate policy. The country has identified four priority sectors for adaptation: agriculture, water resources, forestry and emergency situations. Regional authorities are expected to assess climate risks in these sectors and identify those that require targeted adaptation measures.

Aerial view of a forest on the right and open fields on the left with a winding waterway. — Photo: UNDP Kazakhstan/ Andrey Volovik

Developing adaptation measures begins with a climate risk and vulnerability assessment (CRVA), conducted at the regional level across four priority sectors: water management, agriculture, forestry and civil protection. The assessment helps identify the climate hazards most relevant to each region, the sectors and assets most vulnerable to their impacts, and the potential consequences of continued climate change.

Once the risks have been identified, the next step is to develop measures that can reduce regional vulnerability. For example, if an assessment identifies a high risk of irrigation water shortages that could constrain agricultural production, possible measures might include improving water-use monitoring systems, lining irrigation canals with concrete and introducing technologies that reduce water losses caused by evaporation and seepage.

The proposed measures are then assessed through cost-benefit analysis (CBA), which compares implementation costs with expected benefits. This helps establish priorities and develop an evidence-based set of recommendations for consideration by the relevant regional administration, or akimat. The final decision on which measures to adopt and include in a regional adaptation plan rests with the regional authorities.

Effective implementation also requires adaptation measures to be integrated into existing regional planning mechanisms. Since regional socio-economic development is guided by regional development plans, approved adaptation measures are recommended for inclusion in these documents. This approach allows regional authorities to consider climate risks when setting development priorities, allocate the necessary resources, monitor implementation and report on results.

Diagram showing exposure, hazard, risk, and vulnerability with adaptive capacity. — Source: GIZ and EURAC 2017

The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan is currently working with regional administrations to advance this process. As a result, regional authorities are increasingly seeking guidance on how to conduct climate risk assessments. UNDP recommends engaging local universities to provide this expertise. The proposed approach involves establishing research teams at universities that can carry out climate risk assessments and share their knowledge with students. Building this capacity is the main objective of the workshop series.

During the workshops, expert Gulzhan Yermekova introduced participants to Kazakhstan’s national climate risk assessment methodology, which will guide regional assessments. Participants then worked in groups under the guidance of expert Adlet Tkenov, applying the methodology step by step. They practised preparing assessments, identifying climate risks, analysing their underlying factors and evaluating their potential impacts.

A key tool was the impact chain, which illustrates how a climate hazard, such as drought, flood or heatwave, interacts with the vulnerability of a particular system and leads to consequences for the economy, the environment and people. Breaking down a risk into its individual components helps identify where interventions can be most effective and which measures should be prioritized.

Photograph of a woman presenting beside a large screen displaying a flowchart, pointing.

Photograph of four colleagues around a table examining documents; a woman points at papers.

Photograph of a professional woman in a blazer seated at a conference table with papers and a water bottle.

Photograph of an older man in a dark suit presenting beside a screen with a chart and equations.

Three people study a large screen displaying a color-coded chart and equations.

Woman speaker at a conference table gestures while others listen; flowers in foreground.

Group of adults posing with certificates in a classroom.

Group of people in a conference room holding certificates, posing for photo.

People seated around a round conference table in a meeting room, with a projector screen.

Photo: teacher presents slides to students in a classroom with green walls.

Group of people in a classroom posing with certificates; blue posters on the wall and a bouquet in front.

Group of people around a long conference table; presentation with QR code on screen.

Group of adults posing with certificates in a conference room.

Photo: UNDP Kazakhstan/ Danil Akramov, KATRU named after S. Seifullin/ Sungat Zhalaman, group photos from participants

Gulnara Dzhunusbekova, Director of the Institute of Applied Research and Analytics at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of expanding this training:

“The knowledge gained is critically important for the agricultural sector, environmental protection and the country as a whole. It is also exceptionally valuable for public administration and the training of specialized professionals. This climate risk assessment training module should be introduced at all higher education institutions in Kazakhstan. During the workshop, we also discussed the possibility of incorporating it into the Academy of Public Administration’s regular training programme, following the development of appropriate teaching and learning materials.”

A standardized set of teaching and learning materials would make it possible to teach climate risk assessment using a consistent methodology, both to university students and to civil servants responsible for regional development decisions. Participants also expressed their willingness to collaborate on joint research. Such cooperation could bring together expertise across universities and enable climate risks to be examined through different disciplinary perspectives.

The workshop series demonstrated that universities are ready to take on a greater role in climate adaptation. With the necessary training, university lecturers, researchers and graduates will be better equipped to integrate climate risk assessment into academic courses, supervise student research and support local authorities in planning adaptation measures.

For Kazakhstan’s regions, this offers an opportunity to develop local expertise grounded in an understanding of regional conditions and a shared national methodology. At the national level, strengthening university capacity can help make climate risk assessment a routine part of development planning, enabling Kazakhstan to make more informed decisions and build resilience to the impacts of climate change.

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