ecology of kazakhstan essay

The shrinking sea: why the Caspian is under threat – a photo essay

With the rivers that feed it drying up, less rainfall and a hotter climate, the world’s largest inland body of water is in peril. With five countries sharing it, can the political will to save this unique habitat be found?

• Text and photographs by Christian Sinibaldi

‘I used to jump from this rock into the sea just 10 years ago,” says Azamat Sarsenbayev, a 33-year-old videographer and environmental activist. “Now people are sitting on rocks that were once under water. I remember, as a kid, the sea was much deeper.”

On his Instagram page, Sarsenbayev highlights the natural beauty of the Mangystau area of western Kazakhstan where he grew up, including stunning drone footage of the thousands of flamingos that migrate here.

But he also documents pollution and environmental issues, including evidence of what is now an incontestable fact: the Caspian Sea is shrinking – at an unprecedented speed.

The Caspian Sea is the world’s largest inland body of water, and its coastline – put at 4,237 miles (6,819km) in 2017 – is shared by five countries: Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. It is also the shallowest – in some areas the water is only about 4 metres deep.

Azamat Sarsenbayev in Mangystau, Kazakhstan . The environmental activist holds out broken shells to show how the sea once covered the rocky ground where he is standing

According to a forthcoming report by Kazakhstan’s Institute of Hydrobiology and Ecology, the Caspian Sea is approaching the lowest level of 29 metres below sea level, recorded in 1977 ; the average annual level in 2023 is already below this.

The rate at which the sea level is falling has also accelerated in recent years. For example, the average rate of decline over the past three years is about 23.3cm a year.

In June, the local Aktau authority declared a state of emergency over the critically low level of the sea.

A pier that was originally built over the waters of the Caspian Sea in the Mangystau region of west Kazakhstan

Vegetation growing below the pier, which now stands on dry land

The decline is particularly concerning, given the fate of the Aral Sea in central Asia, which was once the world’s fourth-largest lake but is now barely visible on satellite images.

The Caspian’s drop in sea level is most noticeable on its shallow northern coast. Kaydak bay has vanished, following Dead Kultuk bay, which was lost at the end of the last century.

Habitats are becoming more susceptible to storm surges, extensive shoals are forming and the entire north-eastern coastline is shifting. Satellite images clearly show the extent by which, since 2006, the coastline has retreated .

The reasons the sea is shrinking are both natural and human-made. The main tributaries of the Caspian Sea – the Volga and the Ural, both of which originate in Russia – have lost a lot of water. Lower rainfall and higher temperatures are factors, but so, too, is growing water extraction due to human activity: on the Russian side, the Ural River already has 19 dams and large reservoirs.

Meanwhile, Aktau is mushrooming. Originally a small uranium-mining settlement on the steppes, it has been transformed by a new nuclear power station and a desalination plant into a small city; the oil and gas industry has led to a further boom. The limited desalination system is barely sufficient to sustain the demand for water.

Aktau flats with murals of Kazakh heroines from the second world war. Khiuaz Dospanova was a pilot and the first female Kazakh officer in the Soviet air force. Behind her is Manshuk Mametova, a machine gunner who became the first Kazakh woman to be awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union

A ‘nodding donkey’ oil pump and camel in the Mangystau region; right, people visit a monument to the second world war in Aktau

“Every time I see a new building being raised, I think about where it will get the water from,” says Assel Baimukanova, a researcher at the Institute of Hydrobiology and Ecology.

Baimukanova is among a team of 15 carrying out fieldwork on the sea, including researching the Caspian seal , a unique species whose population has fallen from about 1 million at the start of the 20th century to an estimated 110,000 to 170,000 now, with 60,000 in Kazakhstan. It is now on the IUCN red list of endangered species, as warmer winters cause the loss of ice cover, making it harder for newborn pups to survive.

Researcher Assel Baimukanova stands among the estimated 10 tonnes of rubbish collected from the Caspian Sea over 20 days

About 125 miles northwards across the steppe is the small coastal village of Bautino, where the fishing association has 811 members. Many of their families have been fishing for generations; Akimzhanov Daniyar took over from his father and grandfather.

Akimzhanov Daniyar, president of the Bautino fishing association. Behind him is Mir Zholdybaev, who has been fishing in the Caspian Sea for nearly 50 years

Daniyar has seen the conditions change enormously – and not just the shrinking sea. On a boat trip, he indicates the rigs and hotels catering to the oil industry: the Kashagan field, discovered in 2000, is the largest outside the Middle East, and is being developed by the Agip Kazakhstan North Caspian Operating Company, a consortium that includes some of the world’s biggest oil companies, such as Eni, Shell, ExxonMobil and Total.

Ever since the consortium began to drill for oil, water pollution has worsened. In December 2022, the mysterious deaths of 2,500 seals made international news.

A century ago, the population of unique Caspian seals was estimated to be about a million a century ago but now they are only about 60,000 in Kazakhstan and 110,000-170,000 overall

“We see many dead gulls and fish and, sadly, many seals killed by pollution,” he says. Later, in his kitchen, he shows photographs he had taken on his phone. “Only last year we found at least 400 [dead] animals, and the same the year before.”

The Kazakh government is taking small steps at conservation . It has established a protected northern zone for seals and sturgeon. But with five different countries sharing the Caspian, information on the status of the marine life remains out of reach – despite being essential.

As studies predict the Caspian’s level could fall even further , by 9-18 metres or more, and with the area shrinking by more than a quarter before the end of this century, a political agreement between the countries is crucial to help protect it.

The nuclear power station at Aktau, on the shores of the Caspian Sea in Mangystau, western Kazakhstan

• Seascape: the state of our oceans
• Marine life
• South and central Asia
• Endangered habitats
• IUCN red list of endangered species

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• Published: 13 November 2018

Top soil physical and chemical properties in Kazakhstan across a north-south gradient

• Vadim Yapiyev   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8090-5122 1 , 2   na1 ,
• Charles P. Gilman 3   nAff6 ,
• Tolganay Kabdullayeva 3 ,
• Akmaral Suleimenova 3 ,
• Aizhan Shagadatova 3 ,
• Azat Duisembay 3 ,
• Sanzhar Naizabekov 3 ,
• Saule Mussurova 2 , 3 ,
• Kamilya Sydykova 3 ,
• Ilyas Raimkulov 3 ,
• Ilyas Kabimoldayev 3 ,
• Ainagul Abdrakhmanova 2 , 3 ,
• Symbat Omarkulova 4 ,
• Dastan Nurmukhambetov 4 ,
• Aliya Kudarova 4 ,
• Daniyar Malgazhdar 2 ,
• Christian Schönbach 3 , 5   na1 &
• Vassilis Inglezakis   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0195-0417 4   na1  

Scientific Data volume  5 , Article number:  180242 ( 2018 ) Cite this article

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• Agroecology
• Carbon cycle

Kazakhstan’s soil properties have yet to be comprehensively characterized. We sampled 40 sites consisting of ten major soil types at spring (wet) and late-summer (dry) seasons. The sample locations range from semi-arid to arid with an annual mean air temperature from 1.2 to 10.7 °C and annual precipitation from less than 200 to around 400 mm. Overall topsoil total (STC), organic (SOC), and inorganic (SIC) carbon did not change significantly between spring and late summer. STC and SOC show a wave like pattern from north to south with two maxima in northern and southern Kazakhstan and one minimum in central Kazakhstan. With a few exceptions SIC content at northern sites is generally low, whereas at Lake Balkhash SIC can exceed 75% of STC. Independent of the seasons, SOC significantly differed among soil types. Total nitrogen content distribution among our sampling sites followed a similar pattern as SOC with significant differences between soil types occurring in northern, central and southern Kazakhstan.

Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data (ISA-Tab format)

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Background & summary.

Kazakhstan is the largest land-locked country in the world. Its massive land area of 2.725 × 10 6  km 2 represents a key reservoir for soil organic carbon that is thought to play an important role in global climate-carbon modelling 1 , 2 . Yet SOC data pertaining to Central Asia 3 and particularly Kazakhstan 4 are scarce, resulting in considerable ignorance of the extent to which forests and steppe soils in the north and east, and arid areas in the south and west, contribute to sequestering atmospheric carbon or yielding carbon into the atmosphere. Modelling approaches, such as the arid ecosystem model (AEM), yielded high soil organic carbon densities of up to 34 Pg for top soils of 1 m depth and 12–14 Pg for 30 cm deep top soils in temperate deserts of Central Asia 5 . Sub-regional SOC studies utilizing satellite imagery of farm land in northern Kazakhstan and temporal carbon variations lacked predictive power 6 . Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values that reflect vegetative sensitivity to climate change were found to be high in northern Kazakhstan, and in central Kazakhstan, and NDVI changes were positively correlated with the annual temperature 7 . Net ecosystem CO 2 exchange (NEE) studies of two sites representing alkaline desert soils near Lake Balkhash and the Aral Sea revealed CO 2 flux dependence on moisture, pH and light 8 . The authors reported net CO 2 release nocturnally and on cloudy days with precipitation, whereas on sunny and dry days, CO 2 was taken up. Overall, the current picture of carbon cycling in Kazakhstan is supported by only a few sites and little data. In addition numerous SOC centric studies 9 – 11 make extrapolations on regional and global carbon cycles without taking into account soil inorganic carbon (SIC), a likely sink of secondary carbonates, particularly in arid areas. According to Lal et al. 12 , SIC accumulation is high in arid and semiarid regions, for example, grass lands which are thought to harbour one fifth of global soil carbon stocks 13 . SIC accumulation in top soils (15 cm) was shown to be largely dependent on soil pH 14 .

More data and improved coverage of fundamental soil properties including pH, moisture content, particle size, and cation and anion composition that influence microbial activity, and thus the rate of SOC decomposition, are needed to synthesize better agro-economic and ecological strategies, especially regarding climate change predictions. Towards this end we assessed the current soil properties of Kazakhstan by sampling top soil (15 cm) at 40 sites between Petropavlovsk (north) and Taraz (south) during wet and dry seasons and determined the physical and chemical compositions, related vegetation, land cover and climate properties.

Study sites

The study has 40 sampling sites that were located a minimum of 50 m from the nearest road. Sample sites were approximately 50 km apart with flat topographic conditions (toeslope) ( Fig. 1 ). No permits were required for the sampling site locations and the sites did not harbour endangered or protected species. Geographical coordinates (WGS-84) were recorded using a Garmin T650 hand-held global positioning system. The coordinates and geographical annotations are shown in Table 1 (available online only). Sampling was conducted in 2015: one in the “wet” season after the snowmelt (May), and the other in the “dry” season at the end of the growing season (September).

Made with Natural Earth ( http://www.naturalearthdata.com ).

Field Methods

Sampling site documentation.

Pictures of the landscape and vegetation were taken at each location (see Supplement 1). The soil sampling procedure was divided into physical properties sampling, chemical sampling, and biome sampling. Soil sample preparation conditions for chemical and physical analyses (including depth of cores, particle size and milling) were chosen to be harmonized with future analyses of soil microbiomes 15 , 16 . Samples for biome (not subject of this paper), physical and chemical analysis parts (see Laboratory Methods) were transported on ice and transferred to 4 °C refrigerators for extended storage.

Samples for physical analyses

Samples for gravimetric moisture determination were obtained by digging a 10 cm diameter hole with a spade. The spade was rinsed well with distilled water between samples. Approximately 1 kg of soil was excavated, mixed and sealed in a 1 L plastic bag. For bulk density determination, a 50 ml conical tube (Corning Inc.) was filled with undisturbed soil derived from 15 cm deep cores and weighed on a portable balance (Maxx-412, Denver Instrument). At five sample sites additional samples for bulk density measurements were obtained to verify the cone method against the traditional soil ring method.

Samples for chemical analyses

After removing the litter layer if present, (approximately top 2 cm) soil cores of 1.5 cm in diameter were taken to depth of approximately 15 cm. The cores were transferred into 50 ml falcon tubes that were sealed with Parafilm M (Bemis Company, Inc.).

Laboratory Methods

Soil moisture and bulk density.

Soil moisture was calculated gravimetrically as wet and dry soil weight ratios. Briefly, triplicates of 10 g of soil were placed on aluminium paper, weighed and transferred to a 105 °C ventilated oven (Heraeus LUT 6050, Therma Fisher Scientific Inc.). After 24 h, samples were removed, immediately weighed and the dry mass recorded. Volumetric soil moisture content was calculated based on oven-dry bulk densities assuming 15 cm soil depth and by subtracting the mass of evaporated water from the wet bulk density. The volumetric soil moisture and calculated carbon stock values represent averages from two oven-dried bulk densities values obtained from two independent samples.

Soil milling for pH, conductivity and elemental analysis

Ten grams of dried and sieved soil of smaller than 150 μm particle size 15 was transferred into the jar of a vibrating ball mill (MM 400, Retsch GMBH) for 2 min milling at 30 Hz. The milled sample was collected in a 15 ml Falcon tube. The vibrating ball mill processing reduces the sample particle size to approximately 1 μm.

Soil pH and conductivity

Soil pH and electrical conductivity were measured in triplicate in aqueous solution suspension (supernatant) with a 1: 2.5 (soil : water) ratio according the protocol of Pansu and Gautheyrou (2006) using a 8107UWMD Ross Ultra pH/ATC triode (Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA) and Orion 013010MD conductivity cell (Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA) electrodes.

Total soil carbon (SC), organic (SOC) and inorganic carbon (SIC) based on elemental analysis

Total SC and SOC were measured using a CNHS-O dry combustion elemental analyzer Multi N/Cb 3100, (Analytik Jena, Germany). For total SC 100 mg milled soil was placed in a ceramic combustion boat and combusted under pure oxygen at a flow rate of 2.8 L/min at 950 °C. The CO 2 emitted during combustion is detected by a thermal conductivity detector. Milled soil samples for SOC estimation were pre-treated in combustion boats with 100 μl of H 3 PO 4 (30–40%) to dissolve carbonates. Samples were dried overnight at 70 °C and subjected to combustion at 950 °C under 14 L/min oxygen (Multi N/Cb 3100, (Analytik Jena, Germany)). SIC was calculated as the difference between total SC and SOC ( Fig. 2 and Table 2 ).

See also Table 2 .

Loss-on-ignition (LOI) procedure for soil organic matter (SOM)

The soil samples were dried and sieved through a 2 mm sieve. We adapted the LOI method described by Emmett et al. (2007; Countryside Survey: Soils Report from 2007). In brief, crucibles were washed and then rinsed three times with distilled water, dried for 40 min at 105 °C in an oven (Carbolite PN 60) and then cooled to room temperature (RT) in a desiccator for 30 min. Each crucible weight was recorded (Wc) and 10.00 g of crushed soil sample (<2 mm) was weighed in the crucible, dried for four hours at 105 °C and cooled to RT in a desiccator for 30 min and the dry sample weight (Ws) recorded. Dried samples were loaded into a muffle furnace (Carbolite ELF 11/6B), heated to 375 °C for 16 h and allowed to cool down to 150 °C before being transferred to a desiccator for 30 min to cool to RT. The weight of the samples was recorded as Wa and LOI was calculated as (Ws − Wa)/(Ws − Wc) × 100.

Total nitrogen (TN) measurement by elemental analysis

The total nitrogen content of each sample was analyzed by quantitative combustion in excess oxygen using DuMaster D-480 analyzer (Büchi Labortechnik AG). L-glutamic acid was used for calibration (N-factor) of the sample measurement series. Dried and milled samples were weighed in portions of 700 mg, packed in tin foil and loaded on the sample carousel for total nitrogen measurement according to the manufacturer’s instructions ( Fig. 3 ).

Total soil nitrogen.

Climate data

The Climate Research Unit high-resolution dataset (CRU TS v. 3.24.01 https://crudata.uea.ac.uk ; January 26, 2017 release) contains air temperature and precipitation data ranging from 1901 until 2015 at 0.5° resolution of grid-boxes 17 Google Earth Interface Pro was used to download the raw monthly temperature and precipitation data for the sample locations. If multiple sample locations (1–3, 4–5, 32–33, 28–29, and 19–20) mapped to one grid-box, the same temperature and precipitation data were used (e.g., sample sites 1–3 were assigned the same climate data). The climate data are presented in Table 1 (available online only).

Carbon and nitrogen stocks calculation

To infer soil total organic carbon (TOC) and nitrogen (TN) stocks in tons of TOC and TN per hectare (tC/ha, tN/ha) we followed the procedure outlined by Rowell (1994) 18 , (section 3.7, p. 55). The soil layer was assumed to represent the 0–15 cm depth. We used oven dry bulk densities averages from the two samplings (May and September). For TOC and TN absolute content (g/kg or mg/g) we used mean values of averaged duplicate measurements (elemental analysis) obtained from two samplings (May and September) see Fig. 4 .

TOCand TN stocks in 15 cm of top soil.

Data Records

The data were deposited at the Mendeley data repository ( Data Citation 1 ) as Supplement 1 and 2. Supplement 1 contains a folder with photos of landscape and vegetation for each sample location. The naming convention is location number. photo number (date the sample was taken). For example, 1.1(25.05.15) corresponds to location 1 and photo 1 on May 25, 2015. For the images presented in our data records which feature identifiable human participant(s) the informed consent was obtained from the participants prior to publication of the images. Supplement 2 is a Microsoft Excel file that contains spreadsheets with data on 1) soil TC, soil total organic carbon (TOC), soil total inorganic carbon (TIC), 2) Loss on Ignition (LOI), 3) soil TN, 4) soil dry bulk density, 5) gravimetric and volumetric soil moisture 6) soil suspension and supernatant pH, 7) soil electrical conductivity, and 8) soil TOC and TN 9) annotation table ( Table 1 (available online only)). Values of sample measurements from each location were reported with standard deviation (STDEV) and standard error (SE) when applicable.

Technical Validation

Soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations were averaged from duplicate sample preparations and validated using reference standards. If the concentrations deviated significantly the measurements were repeated. SOC results were validated independently by conducting LOI measurements (see Fig. 5 ). Soil organic matter (SOM) (g/kg) data obtained from LOI analyses were converted to TOC (g/kg) by multiplying the values with the coefficient 0.58 19 .

( a ) May samples. ( b ) September samples. R 2 : coefficient of determination, RMSE: root mean squared error, and red-shaded area: 95% confidence interval.

Additional information

How to cite this article : Yapiyev, V. et al . Top soil physical and chemical properties in Kazakhstan across a north-south gradient. Sci. Data . 5:180242 doi: 10.1038/sdata.2018.242 (2018).

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported in part by the grant “Kazakhstan soil microbiome: agricultural characteristics and perspectives” in the framework of the agreement #104 dated 12.02.2015 of the program #055 “Scientific and/or Scientific-Technical Activities” within subprogram #101 “Research Grant Funding” from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan and by Nazarbayev University. We thank Jong Kim for letting us use the equipment of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Almagul Kushugulova and Samat Kozhakhmetov for administrative and managerial support and Nurlan Ongdas for helping to collect field samples. We are grateful for the valuable input and assistance provided by Drs. Joanna Clark, Tom Sizmur, Maria Shahgedanova, and Anne Verhoef at University of Reading.

Author information

Charles P. Gilman

Present address: Present address: United States Agency for International Development, Washington, D.C., USA.,

Vadim Yapiyev, Christian Schönbach and Vassilis Inglezakis: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan

Vadim Yapiyev

National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan

Vadim Yapiyev, Saule Mussurova, Ainagul Abdrakhmanova & Daniyar Malgazhdar

Department of Biology, School of Science and Technology, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan

Charles P. Gilman, Tolganay Kabdullayeva, Akmaral Suleimenova, Aizhan Shagadatova, Azat Duisembay, Sanzhar Naizabekov, Saule Mussurova, Kamilya Sydykova, Ilyas Raimkulov, Ilyas Kabimoldayev, Ainagul Abdrakhmanova & Christian Schönbach

Chemical Engineering Department, Environmental Science & Technology Group (ESTg), School of Engineering, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan

Symbat Omarkulova, Dastan Nurmukhambetov, Aliya Kudarova & Vassilis Inglezakis

International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan

Christian Schönbach

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Contributions

C.S., C.G. and V.Y. conceived the project and led the work in collaboration with V.I. C.G., V.Y. and V.I. established the sampling and analysis methodologies. C.G., V.Y., D.M. and T.K. collected the soil samples and performed the field measurements. V.Y. prepared the map, climate data and calculated carbon stocks. A. Sh. conducted pH and EC measurements. A.D. and D.M. performed the physical analyses of samples. S.N., S.M. and K.S. conducted the L.O.I. analyses. I.R., I.K., C.G., D.M., A. Su., A.A., and T.K. processed the field samples. S.O., D.N., A.K. and C.S. performed the chemical analyses of samples. C.S. and V.I. analysed the chemical data. V.Y. and C.S. took the lead in writing the manuscript. All authors provided critical feedback and contributed to the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Christian Schönbach or Vassilis Inglezakis .

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Yapiyev, V., Gilman, C., Kabdullayeva, T. et al. Top soil physical and chemical properties in Kazakhstan across a north-south gradient. Sci Data 5 , 180242 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2018.242

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Kazakhstan Discusses Ways for Achieving Carbon Neutrality and Building Resilience

ASTANA, February 28, 2023 – Today the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan jointly with the World Bank and Kazakhstan Association "ECOJER” launched a series of policy dialogues to support Kazakhstan in implementing its critical climate and environmental strategies, including the transition to a low-carbon economy, air quality management, and resilience to climate change. The first of the workshop series held today focused on supporting Kazakhstan’s transition to carbon neutrality by 2060.

Kazakhstan made a bold leap forward on a newly charted course for the country's development by adopting The Strategy on Achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2060 . Approved by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan on February 2, 2023, the strategy sets ambitious net-zero carbon goals for climate action and identifies key technological transformations needed for the country's decarbonization. To achieve these transformations, the country will require determining and implementing effective and targeted policies and programs across the whole of the country's economy.

"Our goal is to reduce our carbon footprint and use the benefits of sustainable economic growth, improved public health and reduced climate risks. Net investment in low-carbon technologies is estimated at $610 billion. This will certainly lead to the emergence of new and expanding existing markets and niches for domestic manufacturers, and stimulate the creation of high-skilled jobs,” said Alibek Kuantyrov, Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Participants of the first policy dialogue discussed a roadmap for the implementation of the government policies, measures, and investments in support of the approved strategy. The event also provided a forum for the experts to share best practices and experience in low-carbon policy implementation in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Poland.

"The recently adopted strategy for Kazakhstan's transition to carbon neutrality attests to the government's resolve to pivot towards a growth model that is driven less by fossil fuels and more by investments in climate-smart industries  in water, agriculture, and rangelands management. This broad economic transformation will require an enabling environment centered on policies, investments, and ensuring a just transition for people and communities," says Andrei Mikhnev, World Bank Country Manager for Kazakhstan .

To help Kazakhstan prioritize the most impactful actions that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost climate change adaptation while delivering on broader development goals and carbon-neutral future, the World Bank recently published Kazakhstan Country Climate and Development Report . The report suggests main pathways to support Kazakhstan's low-carbon, resilient transition.

“Reduction of greenhouse emissions is a non-alternative course for Kazakhstan and there is an obvious need for legislative instruments. Today, government agencies need to develop the implementation roadmap, and the industry needs to get clear messages - in which direction they will move in the coming decades and what kind of support from the government they can count on. Such dialogues needed to ensure a balance of interests of state bodies and institutions, to identify business opportunities, and get knowledge of the best world experience, so that we can achieve our goals and improve the environmental situation in the country,” said Lazzat Ramazanova, Chairman of the Council of the Kazakhstan Association "ECOJER".

The policy dialogues series aims to provide a robust platform for multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral engagement. By bringing together Kazakhstan's government agencies, the private sector, civil society, academia, international development organizations, and the world's leading experts, the dialogues aim to foster collaboration and action to accelerate the implementation of Kazakhstan's carbon neutrality targets as well as low-emission development strategy, international climate action commitments, and adaptation measures. The focus of the series' next policy dialogues scheduled in April and June 2023 will be on air pollution reduction and climate change adaptation in support of Kazakhstan's climate and development goals.

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ECOTOURISM STUDY IN KAZAKHSTAN THE PAST PRESENT AND THE FUTURE

2021, Journal of Ecology of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KAZNU) in Almaty, Kazakhstan; Vol. 67, Issue No.2

Kazakhstan has significant resources for the development of ecotourism, or also known as naturebased tourism. Their nature is characterized by a high degree of environmentally rich biodiversity, flora, fauna and wildlife, with many possessing unique landscapes and ecotourism facilities. National parks in particular have the greatest potential for the development of eco-tourism, as a type of protected areas, the main task are protection of ecosystems and regulation of territorial use for ecological, educational, scientific, touristic and recreational purposes. In the academia, the study on ecotourism is dated to the early 1970’s. However, the studies on ecotourism research in Kazakhstan have emerged only in the early 2000’s and still now lacks abundant specialized research output and research interest. In light of these problems, this research paper sought to evaluate the literature on ecotourism studies in the context of Kazakhstan and discuss the main findings by prominent Kazakhstani scholars. Firstly, thorough literature review analysis of the evolution of ecotourism studies will be done. Here, we will look at its conceptual emergence; historical importance, challenges and significance for the research community; previous and current research focus; potential further research studies and the importance of studies on national parks. And secondly, the paper discusses the characteristics of ecotourism destination in Kazakhstan, the emergence of ecotourism as a scientific study among Kazakhstani scholars and its present development as well as future prospects of ecotourism studies. Our discussion and literature review will offer useful information for researchers in not only understanding the evolution of how ecotourism studies have evolved over the time in the context of Kazakhstan, but also give them a thorough overview of the current state of ecotourism industry. There is a significant research and information gap on the topic of ecotourism study in Kazakhstan and this research aims to fill that gap.

Related Papers

Geojournal of Tourism and Geosites

Imanaly Akbar

Many stakeholders believe that developing community-based ecotourism (CBET) in vulnerable nature reserves effectively ensures greater conservation of natural and cultural resources, empowers host communities, and improves their socio-economic well-being. This paper assesses the current status of the CBET development in the Aksu-Jabagly nature reserve (NR), located in the south part of Kazakhstan. To understand ecotourism development status, 222 representative households from two neighboring communities of Aksu-Jabagly NR were surveyed with 5-point Likert scale questions. At the same time, two tourism relevant experts were interviewed. The results of examining the three indicators (community tourism relevance, community participation rank, and community empowerment), showed that the neighboring community relevance with the tourism in Aksu-Jabagly NR was low, the community residents' participation rank in tourism was also at the lower level, and the community’s empowerment status is not ideal. As a result, we initially asserted that the status of CBET development in Aksu-Jabagly NR is not well, in particular, the positive economic and social impact of tourism development is not so obvious.

Journal of Critical Reviews

ATABEK ALIMOV

The paper examines some theoretical and methodological issues of the development of ecological tourism in the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Presents the problems and ways to solve them, given the tourism potential assessment of Karakalpakstan, including analyze new ecotourism destinations in the Region. This paper examines some theoretical and methodological issues for the development of ecological tourism in the Republic of Karakalpakstan. As in many regions of Uzbekistan, there is a substantial tourism potential, not only for the development of standard tourism, but also for a kind of ecotourism in the Republic of Karakalpakstan. We present challenges and ways to solve them, given the tourism potential assessment of Karakalpakstan. Our analysis includes new ecotourism destinations in the Region. The region is located on the Great Silk Road which was an ancient trade route of strategic importance, and was the only land route between the Caspian and Aral Seas. Now this territory, located on the Ustyurt plateau links Uzbekistan to the east and west through road and railways which are the arteries of the economy of Uzbekistan.

8th Silk Road International Conference

Həzi Eynalov , Rufat Mammadov

The importance of tourism in the economies of countries is increasing everyday. Every expenditure in tourism sector creates revivement in the economy and affects the economy in different ways. Increase in the development level of tourism in the country is observed with the increase in the share of it in the economy. Recently there were changes in the tourist taste and consumption because of fast economic and technological developments in the world. Time by time the demands of new type of tourists require silence rest, far from sea, sand and sun, the rest in the leap of true nature, good service in a good room but not exaggerated, at the same time they require silent rest in virgin places where humans’ interfere is very limited. That is why; ecotourism becomes one of the main forms of tourism nowadays. Many countries take advantage of the natural environment and build special infrastructure in order to benefit from ecotourism. Also the countries pay attention to the security issues in order to diminish the damages to the environment. For this purpose Azerbaijan Republic pays attention to the special villages in the pure nature, creates special investment opportunities for the investors in this sector and increases the safety and security issues in those regions. In the past few years Azerbaijan has done several steps in the development of ecotourism with the natural resources. Especially, the ecotourism activities are increasing in the mountainous villages that kept their natural beauty. In this article, the importance of ecotourism, its effects in the tourism sector, the development perspectives, and its role in the economy have been stated. At the same time, world and Azerbaijan statistical information have been used.

The development of community-based ecotourism (CBE) has the potential to preserve biodiversity and protect the environment, as well as play an important role in the socio-cultural, economic and politically sustainable development of the community. This paper assesses the implementation of CBE development and compares the sustainability of ecotourism development between the Zhabagly community and the Abaiyl community. The data is obtained mainly through the household questionnaire survey, field observations, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. 222 representative families were surveyed with 5-point Likert scale questions in this paper including 166 Zhabagly and 56 Abaiyl participants. The study used 18 indicators based on 4 dimensions: environmental, sociocultural, economic and political. Results from this analysis indicate that the sustainability of CBE development in two communities is slightly different in all 4 dimensions. Zhabagly community is more successful in achieving sustainable CBE development than the Abaiyl community. The results reveal that the overall evaluation of the two communities on sustainability is moderate. However, both communities demonstrate that, potentially, they are politically unsustainable. As a result, we initially assert that the sustainability of CBE development in the Aksu-Zhabagly nature reserve (NR) is far from perfect. In particular, the positive economic and political impact of tourism development is not obvious. To address this shortcoming, tourism development organizations need to jointly develop a design policy for the sustainable development of CBE.

Sustainability

Taisiya Bardakhanova , Maksanova Ludmila

The subject of this study is the Russian areas where the use of natural resources is restricted, and economic activities must be developed with due regard for the need to protect natural ecosystems from harmful human impacts. Areas under nature protection, particularly national parks, also fall into this category and make an important contribution to nature conservation. They are also the basis for the development of ecotourism, as in other parts of the world. Russia, along with other countries, adheres to a variety of concepts and tools for the development of ecotourism in PAs. In this paper, we examine the essential characteristics and implementation domains of state policy for promoting ecotourism development, using the Zabaikalsky National Park (ZNP) and the Tunkinsky National Park (TNP) as illustrative examples. Both parks are situated in the Lake Baikal basin. In this study, we rely on theoretical and practical approaches, and legislative and regulatory documents on the develo...

Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

This study investigates the community-based ecotourism (CBE) model using a sample of the Aksu-Zhabagly nature reserve (NR). The aim is to propose a suitable CBE model for Aksu-Zhabgly nature-based tourism destinations by employing a combination of field observation, examination, evaluation, and SWOT analysis. The study determines the strategic suggestions for CBE model designing by the results of SWOT analysis. It concludes that convenient transportation and superior location, diversified wild animals and plants, rich in ethnocultural resources, traditional and tranquil life in a typical rural setting, hospitality and positive attitude of locals to tourism and great potential of the region for sustainable development of ecotourism are the strengths. At the same time, the far residential location from the provincial cities, low-quality service, outdated facilities and shortage of skilled employees in tourism management are the main weakness. Another group of constraints to tourism development is lack of tourism marketing and promotion agencies, lack of transparency, poor institution arrangement and corruption, and lack of preferential policies for CBE development. Finally, the paper recommends that economic development, environmental protection, culture and heritage, marketing and image, favorable political environment, and local residents' empowerment are the main essential to effectively implement the sustainable development of CBE in the Aksu-Zhabagly tourist destination.

Elena Dzhandzhugazova

The article is devoted to the problems and prospects of the ecotourism development in the context of the implementation of national projects, and in particular the "Ecology" project. Based on the main project's provisions analysis, key guidelines for the development of ecotourism in Russia for the period 2018-2024 were identified. These guidelines are fully linked to the specific features of the development of nature-oriented types of tourism, requiring a harmonious combination of measures to preserve ecological systems and develop the economy of the regions. The research focuses on the study of the development of ecotourism in specially protected areas dynamics in the context of identified targets and indicators of their achievement, as well as on an audit of their compliance with the principles and measures that ensure sustainable development. To solve the set tasks, a method was used for a comparative analysis of the key indicators of the development of ecotourism in Russia dynamics allowed us to assess the validity of the proposed key areas, as well as to correlate them with the basic principles of sustainable tourism. According to the authors, the overall output of the National project "Ecology" implementation will be not only the achieved quantitative indicators, but also a completely different quality of the implementation of ecotourism programs.

WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment

Temirkhan Mukhambetov

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Ecology of the Western region in Kazakhstan: state and main directions of improvement

Т. Alimbaev , Z. Mazhitova , B. Omarova + 3 more authors

Influential Citations

E3S Web of Conferences

Key Takeaway : The oil and gas fields in Kazakhstan have a significant impact on the environment, leading to soil changes, disrupted hydrological regimes, and reduced animal populations.

This article examines the environmental problems of the Western region in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The authors emphasize that for many decades the oil fields of Kazakhstan have developed mainly a raw material management system with extremely high technogenic loads on the environment. It is noted that for Kazakstani economy, oil and gas production and especially their export play a key role in generating income and growth within the gross product. At the same time, the authors point out that the impact of the oil and gas field on the environment in recent years has been characterized by its intensity, diversity and significant scale. The issue of developing new hydrocarbon raw materials deposits is considered, which is accompanied by geological exploration, drilling and construction works, laying of pipelines and roads. The authors come to the conclusion that a strong anthropogenic impact on all components of the environment causes an active change in the chemical and physicochemical properties of the soil, disrupts the hydrological regime of territories, leads to impoverishment and changes in the species composition, structure and productivity of phytocenoses, a reduction in the spatial distribution and number of animal populations. In conclusion, the authors put forward a number of fundamental tasks for solving environmental problems of the industry.

Main Navigation

PAGE in Kazakhstan

The Republic of Kazakhstan has taken progressive steps to promote sustainable development with ambitious targets set out in its National Development Strategy, “Kazakhstan 2050” and its Green Economy Concept that has served as the strategic vision of the country on inclusive sustainable development since 2013. Strategic development planning reform launched at the beginning of 2021 has provided new opportunities for PAGE to raise the green economy ambition of the country – including through a Green Economy Concept update, a revised Environmental Code, Doctrine on Carbon Neutrality until 2060 and a 5-year National Project “Zhasyl (Green) Kazakhstan”. PAGE is also supporting the country’s green economic recovery through contributions to the Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of COVID-19 in Kazakhstan and the ’Strategic Plan for Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2025’.

The government has taken progressive steps to promote sustainable development with ambitious targets set out in its National Development Strategy Kazakhstan 2050 and its Green Economy Concept, which guide the country on inclusive sustainable development. Targets include sourcing up to 30 percent of energy from renewables by 2030, increasing to 50 percent by 2050. More generally, Kazakhstan seeks to promote greater economic diversification through greening its economy.

Greening the Economic Recovery

Kazakhstan aims to analyse different policy options related to its ‘Economic Recovery Plan’ working with key line ministries in the Green Economy Council on policy planning […]

Assessing policy options for Economic Recovery 

Kazakhstan is committed to a comprehensive reform programme aimed at a greener, more inclusive and sustainable economy.

PAGE supports:

• Policy recommendations in support of a green economic recovery for key strategic documents, such as the ‘Strategic Plan for Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2025’;
• Technical assistance for developing policy actions in various economic sectors through the formulation of “National Project Green Kazakhstan”, with support from national policy experts and think tanks;
• Assessment of the impact of international green recovery policies and measures on the Kazakh economy, such as the EU Carbon Border Assessment Mechanism; and
• Public awareness initiatives, including TV programmes and peer learning events, to facilitate exchange on the importance of a green economic recovery.

2021 Highlights

Integrating green economy into strategic development planning.

In March 2021, the updated ‘Strategic Plan for Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2025’ was adopted, which […]

In March 2021, the updated ‘Strategic Plan for Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2025’ was adopted, which included a sub-chapter on green economy drafted by PAGE and incorporated other elements proposed by PAGE under other chapters. The Plan is a key document providing strategic guidance for the country. The initial draft did not contain a reference to green economy, prompting PAGE to initiate discussions with the Ministry of National Economy and to draft a chapter on green economy. The need to update the Strategic Plan 2025 arose from the double challenge of COVID-19 and the low international price of oil (in the first half of 2020), which called for an adjustment of national economic projections due to the dependence of Kazakhstan’s economy on oil.

Doctrine for Carbon Neutrality by 2060 officially presented

On 13 October 2021, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev officially presented the Doctrine for Carbon Neutrality of Kazakhstan […]

On 13 October 2021, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev officially presented the Doctrine for Carbon Neutrality of Kazakhstan by 2060 , that sets a framework for a sustainable recovery, low-carbon development pathway, and energy sector transition and provides a set of key measures to reduce emissions and decarbonize the economy. The development of this doctrine was spearheaded by GIZ, with PAGE contributing to the modelling of scenarios and development pathways focusing on emissions from waste and fiscal aspects of low carbon development. The Doctrine emerged from the ‘Low Carbon Development Concept 2050’ (under development since 2019) following the announcement of the President in December 2020 that Kazakhstan will become carbon neutral by 2060.

Update of the Concept for the Transition to a Green Economy Initiated

Following a formal request from the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources (MEGNR), PAGE is providing support for the […]

Following a formal request from the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources (MEGNR), PAGE is providing support for the update of the ‘Concept for the Transition of the Republic of Kazakhstan to a Green Economy’, a policy document that outlines the goals, objectives and general approaches to achieving sustainable development in the country that has been implemented by the government since 2013. However, an update is needed to integrate the sustainable development goals, targets, and indicators, as well as to align the Concept with new strategic documents, regulations, and commitments at national and international level – for example, the new Environmental Code, Carbon Neutrality Doctrine and Paris Agreement commitments. Work will be guided by MEGNR with the support of national stakeholders represented in the eight working groups on thematic areas under a Green Economy Council.

Implementing the new Environmental Code

The new Kazakhstan Environmental Code , adopted on 2 January and entered into force on 1 July 2021, envisages a rapid reform of […]

The new Kazakhstan Environmental Code , adopted on 2 January and entered into force on 1 July 2021, envisages a rapid reform of the main environmental regulatory framework in line with international standards that can open broad opportunities for green growth in the country. PAGE provided technical support during the process of revision and deliberation of the Code by the Parliament and is now assisting with the implementation of its new elements of the code through capacity development and support with the development of relevant secondary legislation. For example, PAGE supported the development of a set of legal guidelines to conduct a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), a key component of the new Code, which mandates that policy makers undertake a SEA for all future policy developments. PAGE also supported the development of a Roadmap for the introduction of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), a Roadmap on Development of Environmental Quality Standards, as well as a set of regulations around environmental permission – all key new components of the code.

Supporting the 5-year National Green Kazakhstan Project

Responding to a request from the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources (MEGNR), PAGE provided technical support […]

Responding to a request from the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources (MEGNR), PAGE provided technical support to the Ministry for the development of a 5-year national project “ Zhasyl Kazakhstan ” (or “Green Kazakhstan”), under PAGE’s green recovery support mechanism. The short-term, actionable nature of this policy document supports the creation of enabling conditions for sustainable economic growth and lays the foundations for a long-term green transition in line with climate ambitions and the SDG commitments of the country. The project – adopted by an official government resolution on 12 October 2021 – covers several thematic areas including air pollution, waste management, energy efficiency, biodiversity conservation, water management, rehabilitation of water bodies, eco-education and improving eco-culture. The Project (which has the status of a policy document) is equipped with the indicators, activities, and public budgets allocations for each of the thematic sections.

Supporting Climate Action with Green Fiscal Policy Analysis

PAGE completed a Fiscal Policy Analysis of Energy, Housing and Public Utilities (HPU) Sectors in consultation with […]

PAGE completed a Fiscal Policy Analysis of Energy, Housing and Public Utilities (HPU) Sectors in consultation with representatives of the Ministries of Energy, Finance, Ecology, Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms and other interested stakeholders. The analysis was revised to reflect the feedback received and was submitted to GIZ to contribute to the Green Finance and Investments part of the Carbon Neutrality Doctrine. Key findings – including that various fossil fuel subsidies in Kazakhstan more than doubled in the period 2016-2019 – and recommendations were shared at a side event at COP 26 in Glasgow.  As a next step, preparatory work has begun to expand this report to model socio-economic and environmental impact of alternative use of identified fiscal space.

Redirecting Emission Payments towards support for Green SMEs on Akimat Level

The pilot project aims to demonstrate how emission payments collected and used at the sub-national (akimat) level can be redirected […]

The pilot project aims to demonstrate how emission payments collected and used at the sub-national (akimat) level can be redirected to promote green SMEs and create employment in Kazakhstan’s regions. PAGE is collaborating with the akimat of Pavlodar to carry out the pilot. In 2021, PAGE conducted an analysis, that reviewed environmental payments regulation, analysed financial flows within the local budget of the Pavlodar region, existing financial arrangements within the local/regional budgets, and set out the general priorities of the Pavlodar region. After a series of consultations with local authorities and other stakeholders, an implementation plan and a pilot project scheme were developed and validated. As a next step the scheme will be put into practice to demonstrate how emission payment can be redirected to provide financial support for green businesses.

Building Back Better Training

A total of 708 civil servants from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic successfully completed the […]

A total of 708 civil servants from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic successfully completed the “Building Back Better” training programme held by the Academy of Public Administration (APA) in collaboration with Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources. Supported by PAGE and GIZ, the training focused on approaches for advancing the transition of Kazakhstan towards a green, low-carbon and circular economy in the post-pandemic world. The training commenced with an introductory online course developed by APA and made available via the Academy’s learning platform, followed by a 5-day facilitated virtual training programme (in groups of 50 participants). The training concluded with an assignment to develop a short policy plan in smaller groups, which helped build the applied skills of participants. An impact survey carried out 6 months after the training revealed that 60% of participants frequently or occasionally apply the skills and knowledge acquired in the course.

Sustainable Development

PAGE work in Kazakhstan is aiming to contribute to the following SDGs: SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) – through a focus on waste management and related energy and emission related challenges and opportunities; SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption), and SDG 15 (Life on Land) – through a focus on BATs.

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Kazakhstan's pristine nature as a potential for ecotourism development

May 6, 2021.

Katon-Karagai National Park, Kazakhstan

Ecotourism is the fastest growing sector in the tourism industry, accounting for 25 percent of the global tourism . According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, the number of ecotourists is increasing annually by 20 percent .

Kazakhstan, with its abundance of pristine natural sites, has a huge potential for the development of ecotourism. Breathtaking natural landscapes, unique ecological trails, combined with ethno-cultural tourism, will impress even the most exacting tourist.

What is ecotourism?

The International ecotourism society defines ecotourism as responsible travel to natural areas that preserves the environment, supports the well-being of the local community and involves sightseeing and educational activities.

What is the difference between ecotourism and other types of tourism?

The main feature of ecotourism is the preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems when visiting natural areas. Ecotourism also enables the creation of economic conditions in which nature conservation becomes beneficial for local communities.

Ecotourism in the world and in Kazakhstan

According to the Forestry and Wildlife Committee of the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the total land of specially protected natural areas of the country is 26 million hectares, that is about 0.26 million km2 is tenfold more than in the countries with well-developed ecotourism. At the same time, the number of tourists is 2 million people per year . Meanwhile, in the United States of America, a global leader in the development of ecotourism, this figure is 200 million tourists per year and in Australia it is 60 million . These countries have achieved such results through a well-established system of tourism management in the national parks and natural areas, regulated by law.

Potential of ecotourism development in Kazakhstan

In 2019 Finland was named the best country to visit for wildlife travel through to a high level of environmental sustainability, the diversity and uniqueness of plant and animal species and also thanks to government efforts to preserve the environment. Regarding the list of the best countries in terms of the number of national parks, biodiversity, the risk of extinction of Red List species of plants and animals and other criteria, Kazakhstan took the 87th place in this rating.

Nevertheless, the country has all the prerequisites for the development of ecotourism, due to its vast natural areas, the diversity of its flora and fauna and its natural monuments and objects that are included on the World Heritage List.

Work and recommendations of UNDP in the field of ecotourism development

At the initiative of the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) additions have been made to the new Environmental Code of Republic of Kazakhstan, which establish the obligations of tour operators and travel agents to be guided by certain principles regarding the organization of tours in protected areas. These include:

• ·         Planning the number of tourists;
• ·         Preventing harm to the environment;
• ·         Choosing an eco-friendly mode of transportation;
• ·         Involvement of the local community for the organization of tours;
• ·         Waste minimization and briefing of tourists.

As part of their work on ecotourism, experts from the UNDP Global Environmental Finance and BIOFIN-UNDP projects developed the following recommendations for improving the development of ecotourism in the country:

•       The inclusion of a definition of ecotourism, standards of responsibility for non-compliance with the requirements for organization of ecotourism, building standards in the territories of specially protected natural areas, the introduction of methods for calculating recreational loads and the single standard for arrangement of trails at the legislative and subordinate levels.
•       Improvement of the management plan of specially protected natural areas on the development of tourism, including addressing such issues as the inclusion of directions for recreational loads, planning for the arrangement of trails and territories, environmental impact monitoring and interaction with the local community and business for organization of tours.
•      Development and implementation of national standards for the provision of tourist services in specially protected natural areas and in the field of ecotourism.

To date, the existing standard approaches that were developed in legislation of Kazakhstan need a clear definition of legal relations and mechanisms and criteria for their regulation. Therefore, the inclusion of the above recommendations and a definition of ecotourism in the national laws of Kazakhstan enables to streamline all regulatory legal acts in tourism sector, as well as to promote the improvement of environmental protection measures at the territories. At the same time the authorized bodies in sphere of tourism and ecology need to develop appropriate action plans and reconsider existing methods of tourism management in natural areas.

It is worth remembering that ecotourism can contribute to national economic development in any country where protection and restoration of natural environments is increasingly accorded priority, accompanied with strong regulatory oversight to ensure their preservation.

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Ministry of Ecology and natural resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The Ministry of ecology and natural resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the central executive body of the Republic of Kazakhstan, carrying out leadership in the areas of formation and implementation of state policy, coordination of management processes in the fields of environmental protection, development of the "green economy", waste management (excluding municipal, medical and radioactive waste), protection, control and supervision of the rational use of natural resources, state geological study n edr, use and protection of the water fund, water supply, sanitation, forestry, conservation, reproduction and use of the animal world and specially protected natural territories (hereinafter referred to as regulated areas).

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Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources

Yerlan Nyssanbayev

He was born in 1961 in Almaty region. 

He graduated from Kazakh Agricultural Institute, Kazakh National Pedagogical University named after Abay.

He started his labor activity in 1983 as a foreman of Uygur forestry in Almaty region.

From 1984 to 1989, he worked as an instructor, deputy head of the Organizational Department of the Uygur District Committee. 

From 1989 to 1991, he worked as the head of the sector of the Agricultural Department of the Almaty Regional Committee. 

From 1991 to 2004, he worked in the structure of commercial organizations. 

From 2004 to 2009, he held management positions in Astana-Zelenstroy JSC. 

In 2009, he was appointed Chairman of the Committee of Forestry and Hunting of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 

In 2013 to 2014 he held the position of Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 

From 2014 to 2021, he was Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Deputy Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 

From 2021 to 2023, he served as Deputy Chairman of the Board for Strategic Development and International Relations of Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University.

Since March 2023, he was an advisor to the Akim of Astana.

On Sept. 5, 2023 he was appointed Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

On February 6, 2024, he was appointed Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan by the Decree of the Head of State.

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Thematic Issue: Ecology of Soils 2024

The fourth Ecology of Soil Microorganisms (ESM4) conference was held in Prague, Czech Republic in June 2022. Since its inception in 2022, the ESM conference series has emphasized the critical role of microorganisms in ecosystem processes. Researchers recognize the interconnectedness of microorganisms with entire ecosystems, demonstrated through studies in forested and agricultural landscapes. As agents and subjects of global change, microorganisms have drawn particular attention, prompting investigations into their potential roles under future climate conditions. 

FEMS Microbiology Ecology continues to serve as a peer-reviewed publication venue for research presented at the ESM conferences. In this thematic issue, we present papers that provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of soil microbial ecology, focusing on practical inquiries and alternative management strategies. 

FEMS Microbiology Ecology is a fully open access journal meaning all articles published in this thematic issue are free to read and download. 

Editorial: Theme issue on the ecology of soil microorganism

Research articles.

Calls for Papers from FEMS Microbiology Ecology

Authors are invited to submit to the journal on a wide range of topics. Current calls for papers from FEMS Microbiology Ecology include: 

• Rhizosphere - A One Health Concept
• Engaging the Next Generation of Researchers – Microbial Ecology for a Sustainable Future
• Interactions across Microbial Ecosystems
• Aquatic Microbial Ecology
• Subsurface Microbiology
• Thermophiles
• Microbial electron transport
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