AGP Executive Report

Nuclear Energy: Rosatom and Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants signed an EPC contract for the Balkhash NPP, moving the country’s first high-capacity nuclear project into practical implementation, with design, procurement and construction steps now set to follow. Climate & Forests: Kazakhstan’s Halyk Ormany reforestation push continues after 2023 wildfires, aiming to plant 9 million trees across Semey Ormany, Ile-Alatau National Park and Astana’s green belt to rebuild forests that can endure for decades. Water Security: Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan held a UNECE-backed meeting on protecting and sustainably using transboundary water resources, focusing on aquifer protection and a roadmap toward a 2030 plan. Energy Transition: A new regional view argues Central Asia’s power transition hinges on water—linking hydropower, growing solar/wind and storage, and cross-border electricity planning to drought and shifting hydrology. Sustainable Farming Finance: The EBRD approved a €25M seasonal working-capital facility for Kazakhstan’s TBF Holding Group to expand organic crop trading, supported by a €500,000 grant to cut fertilizer and water use. Digital Policy: Kazakhstan is set to join the Digital Cooperation Organization, expanding cooperation on AI, digital trade and cross-border data rules. Wildlife & Nature Culture: Kazakhstan marked Tazy and Tobet Day for the first time, spotlighting indigenous dog breeds and international recognition efforts.

Water & Irrigation Leadership: President Tokayev has reappointed Nurzhan Nurzhigitov as Kazakhstan’s water resources and irrigation minister, with a career spanning agriculture, natural resources regulation, and regional public administration. Forest Recovery After Fires: Kazakhstan is pushing a long-term reforestation push after 2023 wildfires in Semey Ormany, aiming to plant 9 million trees over five years across Semey Ormany, Ile-Alatau National Park, and Astana’s green belt. Minerals & Investment Readiness: Kazakhstan is expanding geological exploration and digitizing survey data, but experts stress that discovery is only the first step toward bankable projects and higher-value exports. Nuclear Power Rollout: Rosatom and Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants signed a contract to build the two-unit Balkhash NPP, moving the first nuclear power plant project into practical implementation. SCO Energy & Climate Signals: At the Bishkek SCO summit, leaders backed broader cooperation on trade, transport, energy, digital economy, and climate-related priorities, reinforcing the bloc’s push beyond security. Rare Earth Processing Deal: Lindian signed agreements with Carester to develop an oxide separation facility at Stepnogorsk, targeting completion in Q4 2026 and long-term offtake for heavy rare earth products. Wildlife Conservation Note: A rare snow leopard family was captured on camera in East Kazakhstan, adding fresh momentum to monitoring and protection efforts.

Biodiversity & Wildlife: Kazakhstan’s Amur tiger reintroduction program is moving ahead, with two tiger cubs planned for release in spring 2027 (May) into the Ili-Balkhash ecosystem using a temporary enclosure approach to test different release methods. Climate & Water: NASA satellite imagery highlights how the Aral Sea shrank dramatically between 2000 and 2014 after decades of river diversion for irrigation, leaving exposed desert and salt flats—an ongoing warning for the region’s water security. Nuclear & Health: Kazakhstan co-chaired a UN conference on supporting victims of nuclear weapons use and testing, with a Kazakh representative calling for urgent action as test sites could become active again amid today’s arms race. Energy & Industry: Kazakhstan’s oil refining sector is set for major expansion under a 2025–2040 concept, targeting higher capacity, deeper processing, and improved fuel standards. Economy & Environment Link: Kazakhstan manufacturing conditions worsened in August (PMI contraction), underscoring pressure on demand that can affect industrial emissions and resource use. Regional Governance: At the SCO Bishkek summit, leaders adopted the Bishkek Declaration, including commitments tied to sustainable development and AI, while also stressing security priorities.

Aral Sea Warning: NASA satellite images show the Aral Sea’s eastern basin disappearing between 2000 and 2014 after river diversion for irrigation, leaving cracked salt flats and dust—an urgent reminder of how fast human water use can reshape Kazakhstan’s environment. Nuclear Victims & Cleanup: Kazakhstan co-chaired a UN conference on support for atomic bomb victims and nuclear-test fallout, pushing for an international fund covering victim help and environmental remediation. SCO Security With Environmental Stakes: At the Bishkek SCO summit, leaders adopted the Bishkek Declaration, stressing security priorities (terror, drugs, cybercrime, AI misuse) and also backing sustainable development and environmental cooperation. Oil Refining Push: Kazakhstan’s government approved a 2025–2040 concept to expand refining capacity (toward 40 mln tons/year), raise processing depth, and improve fuel standards—key for pollution and energy transition planning. Manufacturing vs Mining: New data says manufacturing overtook mining in industrial output share, but a separate PMI report shows August business conditions worsening, with weaker orders and production. Aviation Security Week: Kazakhstan will host ICAO Security Week 2026, focusing on safe skies amid drones, cybersecurity, and AI risks.

SCO Summit in Bishkek: Leaders adopted the Bishkek Declaration to deepen cooperation on security, trade, technology, and sustainable development, while stressing the bloc’s non-military character and backing a more representative multipolar order. Water Security Push: Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev used the SCO+ platform to call for stronger water governance, proposing an International Water Organization under UN auspices plus an SCO water analysis center; Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif echoed that water is the region’s “lifeblood” and must never be weaponised. Biodiversity & Green Tech: The summit signed multiple environment-linked items, including an SCO initiative for the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity and a Green Technology Corridor plan. Climate Hazard Alert: Tajikistan warned of possible glacial mudflows in several mountainous districts as climate risks grow. Kazakhstan Education Infrastructure: Kazakhstan opened 57 new schools to ease overcrowding and reduce unsafe three-shift schooling. Methane Watch: UN satellite monitoring flagged Turkmenistan as a major methane hotspot, with alerts and leak-stopping repairs reported.

Wildlife Safety: Camera traps in East Kazakhstan’s Katon-Karagai captured rare snow leopard footage, including a female with three cubs—another reminder that protecting habitat helps reduce risky human-wildlife encounters. Bears and People: Reports across Russia and Central Asia link this summer’s bear attacks to food shortages, rising bear numbers, and closer contact with humans. UN Greening Push: The UN General Assembly adopted Kazakhstan’s initiative to mark April 22 as the International Day of Greening the Planet, aiming to boost ecosystem restoration and public action. Nuclear Test Warning: UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged nuclear-armed states to uphold testing moratoria and push the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty into force, noting milestones including Semipalatinsk’s closure. SCO Water and Security: At the Bishkek SCO summit, Kazakhstan’s Tokayev backed strategic stability talks, while PM Shehbaz Sharif stressed water must never be weaponised—tying regional peace to shared environmental resources. School Safety Tech: Kazakhstan expanded child-safety measures for the new academic year, with 283,000 surveillance cameras in 7,656 schools.

Wildlife & Nature: A camera-trap footage from East Kazakhstan captured a snow leopard family—one male sniffed the trap and turned away while another camera recorded a female with three cubs—adding to rare sightings from the region. Nuclear Legacy: Kazakhstan marked the 35th anniversary of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site closure, with President Tokayev calling for renewed global nuclear-test-ban talks and highlighting the long-lasting environmental and health damage from past tests. Climate & Water Disaster: Nepal’s glacier-flood aftermath continues to worsen, with rescue teams racing to reach hundreds of hydropower workers potentially trapped in tunnels across multiple projects as deaths and missing numbers climb. Oil & Environment: Environmental activists gained access to a ministry-prepared groundwater and surface-water monitoring report for the Kokzhide Sands in Aktobe, after oil extraction resumed despite local complaints. Education Safety: Kazakhstan’s schools are now equipped with over 283,000 surveillance cameras as authorities step up measures for children’s safety ahead of the new academic year. Regional Policy: Kazakhstan’s role in the SCO summit in Bishkek remains in focus, with leaders discussing sustainable peace and development alongside security and connectivity.

Nuclear Disarmament: President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev marked the 35th anniversary of the Semipalatinsk test site closure, calling for nuclear powers to resume talks and for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty to enter into force, stressing the long health and environmental damage from Soviet tests. Education Safety & Surveillance: Kazakhstan is ramping up school safety ahead of the new academic year, with 283,000 surveillance cameras installed across 7,656 general education schools and road-infrastructure inspections near schools leading to thousands of fixes. Oil & Water Pollution Risk: Environmental activists gained access to a 2025 groundwater and surface-water monitoring report for the Kokzhide Sands in Aktobe, after oil extraction resumed; the report cites pollutants linked to extraction beneath the area. Climate/Disaster Watch: Nepal’s flash-flood disaster linked to glacier collapse continues to strain rescue efforts, with deaths rising above 900 and thousands missing, including hundreds of hydropower workers. Biodiversity & Wildlife: A new global ranking highlights top wildlife encounters worth traveling for, with Kazakhstan’s nature scene included via mentions of rare species sightings and protected areas. Aviation Sustainability: Air Astana became the first airline in Central Asia and the CIS to receive IATA Sustainable Procurement certification under its sustainability programme.

Nuclear Safety & Policy: President Tokayev marked the 35th anniversary of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site closure and the UN International Day against Nuclear Tests, calling for negotiations among nuclear powers and urging the CTBT to enter into force, while linking nuclear disarmament to Kazakhstan’s sustainable development path. Regional Diplomacy (SCO): Kazakhstan’s Tokayev is set to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek on Sept 1, with leaders including Xi, Putin and Modi, as the bloc pushes “sustainable peace, development and prosperity” and discusses security and connectivity. Climate Disaster Watch (Nepal–China): A glacier collapse triggered deadly floods and mudslides near Nepal’s border with China, with hundreds missing and search operations affected by a newly formed barrier-lake risk—an escalating cryospheric hazard that also raises concerns for regional emergency readiness. Urban Environment: In Almaty, residents and activists are challenging proposed changes to the city’s general plan to 2040, warning that land meant for individual housing could be converted into denser multi-story and commercial development, with knock-on effects for traffic, green zones and infrastructure. Tech & Skills: A Chinese robotics firm is bringing AI/robotics training to Kazakhstan’s Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, expanding hands-on industrial robotics and smart manufacturing education.

Nuclear Safety & Policy: Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev marked the International Day against Nuclear Tests by urging nuclear-armed states to resume negotiations and speed up bringing the CTBT into force, recalling the 35-year closure of the Semipalatinsk test site and the long-lasting harm to health and the environment. Climate & Disaster Risk: A glacier collapse in Nepal triggered a deadly mudslide and flooding across the Nepal–China border region; China’s Xizang authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing, while officials said the disaster was linked to glacier instability driven by long-term climate warming and that a new barrier-lake threat is being closely monitored. Regional Cooperation: Ahead of the Sept. 1 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, Kazakhstan’s President is set to attend SCO meetings focused on security, connectivity, and broader cooperation—areas that also intersect with environmental and sustainable development agendas. Urban Environment: In Almaty, residents and activists criticized proposed changes to the city’s general plan until 2040, warning that land meant for individual housing could be converted into denser multi-story and commercial development, with concerns over seismic risk, traffic, and green zones.

SCO Summit in Bishkek: Leaders from 17 countries and six international organisations will gather in Kyrgyzstan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit and “SCO Plus” meeting on September 1, with Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev among the expected attendees. Anti-nuclear push: Kazakhstan marked the International Day against Nuclear Tests with renewed calls for nuclear-armed states to resume negotiations and bring the CTBT into force; the date also recalls the 1991 closure of the Semipalatinsk test site and its long environmental and health scars. Local planning tensions in Almaty: Residents, architects and activists protested proposed changes to Almaty’s general plan to 2040, warning that land meant for individual housing could be shifted toward multi-storey development and commercial use, with concerns over green zones, traffic and infrastructure. Digital cooperation expansion: The Digital Cooperation Organization approved eight new member candidatures, including Kazakhstan, aiming to broaden cross-border work on data, AI and digital trade. Education tech link: A Chinese robotics firm is bringing AI and robotics training to Kazakhstan via Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, building hands-on lab capacity for students.

Nuclear Legacy & Policy: President Tokayev marked the UN International Day against Nuclear Tests, recalling Kazakhstan’s 35-year-old closure of the Semipalatinsk site and calling on nuclear powers to resume talks and ban nuclear testing. Public Health & Research: Separate coverage revisits Semipalatinsk’s long-term health and environmental fallout, noting how exposure reconstruction remains difficult and urging better support for affected communities. Digital Safety for Youth: Tokayev backed a proposed ban on social media registration for children under 16, saying laws must include real implementation mechanisms and stronger safeguards in the information sphere. Green Development & Transport Tech: Kazakhstan’s SCO-linked push for smarter infrastructure highlights Astana’s automated driverless light rail line, while Air Astana received IATA Sustainable Procurement certification. Water & Land Resilience: UNICEF’s Youth Climate Summer School in Turkmenistan produced a draft national youth statement for COP31, reflecting wider regional momentum on climate action and environmental priorities. Regional Context: The SCO summit in Bishkek (Sept 1) is set to draw leaders including Tokayev, Xi, Putin and Modi, with “SCO+” talks expanding the agenda beyond security into connectivity and development.

Child Safety Online: President Tokayev backs a plan to ban social media registration for children under 16, saying laws must include real implementation mechanisms and calling for stronger rules for online platforms and mass media. Nuclear Legacy & Health: Kazakhstan marks 35 years since closing the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, with renewed focus on turning decades of radiation research into better support for affected communities. Air Quality & Green Travel: Air Astana earns IATA Sustainable Procurement certification under its sustainability program, positioning the airline as a regional first in Central Asia and the CIS. Biodiversity & Nature: Wildlife updates include reports of rare animals spotted in Kazakhstan’s protected areas, from mountain goats in Kolsay Lakes National Park to snow leopard cubs at Marwell Zoo and gazelles in Charyn. Climate & Youth: UNICEF’s Youth Climate Summer School in Turkmenistan ends with participants drafting a National Youth Statement for COP31, built around community-level climate action. Disaster Watch (Regional): Nepal-Tibet flash floods keep killing and displacing people, with warnings of fresh downstream flooding risks—an environmental emergency with cross-border impacts.

Child Safety Online: President Tokayev backs a proposed ban on registering social media users under 16, saying laws must include real implementation mechanisms and calling for stronger protections in the information sphere. Climate & Land Restoration: Kazakhstan plans to plant 100,000 hectares of new forests and expand systematic forest-climate projects under the Green Shield of Central Asia; since early 2026, the country reports over 1 million trees planted and large-scale cleanups and recycling. Biodiversity & Rewilding: An Amur tigress, Umit, has been released into Kazakhstan’s Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve as part of a long-term effort to restore wild tigers to Central Asia, with monitoring of a male tiger and staged preparation of younger cubs. Water & Disaster Risk: Nepal’s Bhotekoshi flood toll and missing lists keep rising after a glacier-triggered landslide formed a temporary lake; authorities warn of fresh downstream danger as the lake continues to rise. Regional Green Cooperation: The SCO highlights green development as an engine of growth, pointing to shared clean-energy and nature-based solutions across member states. Aviation Sustainability: Air Astana earns IATA Sustainable Procurement certification, becoming the first airline in Central Asia and the CIS to receive it.

Forest & Climate Action: Kazakhstan plans to plant 100,000 hectares of new forests and signed a memo aimed at scaling tree planting, restoring degraded lands, boosting carbon absorption, and unlocking climate-linked investment. Biodiversity & Wildlife: Kazakhstan released an Amur tigress, Umit, into the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve as part of a long-term effort to bring wild tigers back to Central Asia after more than 70 years. Water & Disaster Risk: Nepal’s deadly flash floods tied to a glacier collapse left more than 1,000 people unaccounted for; authorities reported rescues of foreign tourists including Americans, while search operations continued across Nepal and neighboring China. Land Degradation: A UN desertification report warns Central Asia has degraded over 80 million hectares, with climate-driven warming and shrinking glaciers worsening dust storms and threatening livelihoods—an issue that directly affects Kazakhstan’s wider environmental stability. Caspian Water Stress: Reporting highlights falling water levels in the Caspian Sea, raising risks for ports, fish, wetlands, and pollution from exposed lakebeds. Civic Volunteering: Kazakhstan’s volunteer movement has grown sharply since 2020, now supporting social and environmental work at large scale under the UN-backed International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development.

Baiterek Financing Shift: Kazakhstan’s National Investment Holding Baiterek approved an updated 2024–2033 development plan, keeping annual business financing at 8 trillion tenge and starting to phase out budget funding from 2029 as it seeks more private capital. Water & Climate Pressure: A new look at shrinking lakes warns that hotter conditions and water-management changes could sharply reduce inland waters, with the Caspian Sea highlighted as levels keep falling and ecosystems face added stress. Green Transport Power: Kazakhstan launched a solar-powered, off-grid EV charging station in Astana’s Alatau sports complex, with 100 kW solar and 645 kWh storage, and plans to scale similar low-carbon infrastructure nationwide. Land Degradation Alarm: A UNCCD-linked report says Central Asia has already degraded over 80 million hectares, with climate warming, shrinking glaciers, and dust storms worsening impacts on farming and livelihoods. Caspian Sea Update: Kazakhstan’s part of the Caspian is seeing a new island emerge as water levels fall, underscoring ongoing hydrological change. Emergency Response Fleet: Damen delivered the fast crew supplier vessel “Tumar” for Kazakhstan’s emergency services, designed for search-and-rescue, firefighting, and oil spill response. Conservation Note: Snow leopard cubs born in Kazakhstan-linked conservation work are reported doing well, adding momentum for habitat-protection efforts.