LocationsA greener horizon: Kazakhstan’s climate action for tomorrow’s economy
May 15, 2025
Greig's red tulip
What links the Paris Agreement, climate action and investment opportunities? In Kazakhstan the answer lies in a strategic planning tool: the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These national climate commitments are helping the country navigate a changing environmental and economic landscape, turning climate pledges into real-world policies and investment pathways.
As the largest landlocked country between Europe and Asia, Kazakhstan faces a dual challenge: driving economic growth while cutting harmful emissions. With the climate crisis intensifying, international agreements have shifted from symbolic gestures to core pillars of Kazakhstan's development agenda.
Back in 2015, countries united under the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to well below 2°C. In doing so, they pledged national climate action plans, known as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), which bridge domestic action and global climate goals.
The term "intended" reflected the provisional nature of countries initial climate pledges, submitted ahead of the Paris Agreement's ratification. Once countries formally joined the accord and began implementation, those plans shed the label – transforming from Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
Kazakhstan submitted its INDC in September 2015, months before ratifying the Paris Agreement, signalling an early commitment to global climate action. The pledged – a reduction in 15-25 percent greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.
Once countries ratify the Paris Agreement, their INDCs officially become NDCs – national commitments tailored to local priorities, development goals, and capacity for implementation.
NDCs are more than a formality. They serve as blueprints for national climate action, chart implementation strategies and align domestic goals with global ambitions. To guide countries in this process, UNDP recommends five key principles for high-quality NDCs: inclusive engagement, ambitious yet achievable targets, social equity, transparency, and actionable implementation pathways.
In 2023, Kazakhstan strengthened its climate pledge by updating its NDCs to include adaptation measures, assessments of climate-sensitive sectors and the integration of gender perspectives into climate policy, alongside efforts to develop climate-resilient tourism. In 2024, Kazakhstan launched work on NDC 3.0 – a next-generation climate strategy featuring sector-specific investment plans, road maps, technical guidelines, capacity-building recommendations, and measurable targets.
Yet the path toward implementing the NDC is not without obstacles. Kazakhstan must navigate limited access to green financing, the needs for technological modernization, energy and security risks, and the social costs of moving away from coal. That's why NDC 3.0 must be grounded in fairness, realism, and integrated support – principles at the heart of UNDP's climate engagement.
For the private sector, the NDC offers guidelines for sustainable investments. For regions, it provides a road map for climate adaptation. For the public, it pledges that climate action transcends policy and produces tangible results.
Today, Kazakhstan stands at a critical crossroads: adapt proactively to mounting climate risks, or face the escalating costs of inaction. The NDC is more than a policy; it's a road map to a sustainable, resilient future. The climate choices made today are not just environmental; they are investments in the country's health, safety, and long-term prosperity.
Through a systemic and strategic approach, Kazakhstan is boosting climate resilience while laying the groundwork for sustainable growth, investment, and long-term well-being. Attaining these goals will require both mobilizing domestic resources and securing international support: financial, technological, and institutional. The NDC identifies priority areas where such support is vital, serving as a key reference for partners like UNDP in designing future projects and targeted assistance.
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