Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Slovakia in environmental protection strengthens

BRATISLAVA, June 21, 2021 – A great potential for further strengthening cooperation in the field of environmental protection between Kazakhstan and Slovakia was noted at today’s meeting between Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Slovak Republic Roman Vassilenko and State Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment of Slovakia Michal Kiča.

During the conversation, the parties positively noted the already existing cooperation in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in the field of water resources concluded in December 2020 between the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic.

The interlocutors noted the interest in the experience of Slovakia in the field of transboundary water cooperation and the implementation of the Water Convention in light of the current chairmanship of Kazakhstan in the Bureau of the Convention, as well as the hosting of the International Water Assessment Center (IWAC), which had previously been located in Slovakia, and now is located in Nur-Sultan. In this regard, M. Kiča expressed the readiness of the Slovak side to continue sharing the experience with and assisting in the work of Kazakhstan’s water workers, including through the implementation of specific project activities.

The parties also reviewed the preparations for the conclusion of a so called framework agreement on cooperation in the field of environmental protection and the use of natural resources between the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic. The interlocutors further substantively discussed the prospects for Slovakia’s accession to the Green Bridge Partnership Program (GBPP) which was initiated by Kazakhstan in 2012 and nowadays brings together 19 states in Europe and Eurasia.

In light of the recent adoption of a new Environmental Code in Kazakhstan, the Slovak official expressed interest in the experience of Kazakhstan in codifying environmental legislation, assessing it as advanced, as well as in combating the consequences of pollution with organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

In the context of the participation of both countries in the Paris Climate Agreement and preparations for the next UN Conference on Climate Change in Glasgow in autumn 2021 (COP26), the interlocutors also discussed issues related to climate change. In this regard, the ways were considered for Slovakia to achieve the pan-European goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, as well as a similar goal set by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for Kazakhstan to achieve this neutrality by 2060. In this regard, the Ambassador invited the Slovak side to consider the possibility of participating in the creation of a regional market for trading greenhouse gas emissions in the region of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia on the basis of the stock exchange of the Astana International Financial Center.

The interlocutors also considered issues of cooperation as part of plans to return from Europe to Kazakhstan to the natural habitat some endangered representatives of the fauna, which will contribute to the conservation of natural biodiversity.