President Tokayev’s Call for Global Climate Action at COP28
Kazakhstan Takes Strong Stance on Climate Action at COP28, President Tokayev Commits to Global Initiatives
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev conveyed Kazakhstan’s strong commitment to addressing global climate challenges and outlined key initiatives during the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) on Dec. 1 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Akorda press service reported.
The President highlighted Kazakhstan’s commitment to addressing the critical impact of climate change on vulnerable regions, including small island developing states, landlocked developing countries, and least developed countries. He also emphasized that Kazakhstan has ratified the Paris Agreement and adopted the 2060 Carbon Neutrality Strategy, becoming the first country in the region to do so.
Furthermore, President Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan plays a critical role in generating carbon-free power globally, as a leading exporter of uranium, accounting for 43% of the world’s supply. He also underscored Kazakhstan’s readiness to become the main supplier of essential transition minerals, including rare earths, as the world decarbonizes in the coming decades.
In line with its commitment to climate action, President Tokayev announced Kazakhstan’s decision to join the Global Methane Pledge, recognizing the reduction of methane emissions as the fastest way to slow global warming. He also highlighted initiatives to solve the massive coal problem by implementing the region’s first Just Energy Transition Partnership.
The President also called on international partners to provide concrete support for these initiatives and urged an expansion of commitments to increasing climate finance.
In addition, Kazakhstan will take over the chairmanship of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and will co-chair the first thematic One Water Summit with France. The country will also host a Regional Climate Summit in 2026 under the auspices of the UN to give impetus to climate action in Central Asia.
President Tokayev invited participating states to the Astana International Forum in June 2024, a dialogue platform for continued focused cooperation on pressing climate-related issues until COP 29. He emphasized the global nature of the climate emergency and the need for collective action and cooperation to address the crisis.
Overall, Kazakhstan’s commitment to addressing climate change and its proactive stance on global initiatives demonstrates its dedication to mitigating the impact of climate change and contributing to global efforts to safeguard the environment for future generations.
