According to Gulmira Galiyeva, Deputy Director of the Climate Policy Department at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the country's legislation already includes aspects of climate change adaptation. Last year, Kazakhstan adopted its strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, which also includes adaptation measures. However, further adaptation process implementation must occur at the regional level. As part of the project between the UNDP and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, a comprehensive document — the National Adaptation Plan — is being developed, which describes strategies and measures for coping with the effects of climate change on various sectors of the economy and society.

Adaptation to climate change has been an important topic at the Conferences of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A key moment was COP16 in Cancun, Mexico, in 2010, where the Parties established the Cancun Adaptation Framework and the Adaptation Committee. The Parties decided to strengthen or develop regional adaptation centers and networks.

According to the UNFCCC methodology, adaptation measures are based on the identified potential vulnerabilities and their prioritization. National adaptation plans play a crucial role as they provide countries with a systematic approach to assess their climate vulnerability, identify adaptation needs and develop effective strategies to strengthen resilience. The adaptation process is continuous: measures must be regularly reviewed and adjusted. The achievement of the current adaptation indicators emphasizes the need to set more ambitious targets as climate change impacts different sectors of the economy, which requires immediate action.

NAPs are closely linked to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and other national and sectoral policies and programmes. In its updated NDCs for 2023, Kazakhstan has included measures to adapt to climate change in line with its international commitments under the Paris Agreement. The focus is on four key sectors: Forestry, Agriculture, Water Resources, and Disaster Prevention/Disaster risk reduction.

In developing the National Adaptation Plan, UNDP and key partners will focus on strengthening coordination between executive bodies in adaptation planning, creating databases for adaptation solutions, engaging the private sector in adaptation, and increasing funding for adaptation measures. The project includes assessments and analyses of the adaptation and climate services landscape, the development or improvement of existing regulatory documents, establishing a reporting system on planned and implemented adaptation measures, and the creation of sectoral adaptation plans.

Another key component of the project is the training of experts who will continue to develop and implement adaptation tasks and solutions at national and regional level after the project is completed. The trainings will be held for representatives of the National Hydrometeorological Service of Kazakhstan, universities, research institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises, and local authorities.

The development of a national adaptation plan is an extremely important step for Kazakhstan. The successful implementation of this plan depends on the participation of all sectors of society — from government agencies to the private sector and citizens. Kazakhstan is already on its way to a sustainable future. The next steps will determine how effectively the country can adapt to the changing climate conditions.