Kyoto looks forward, No Delay is Worth!

This month underlines two significant dates for Kazakhstan: February 16, 2005 – entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Our country signed this protocol in 1999. And February 24, 2006 – the Parliament hosted upon the Government’ s initiative a Public Debates on political, economic and environmental aspects of the Kyoto Protocol ratification which resulted by the deputies and experts recommendations to submit a draft Law on the Kyoto ratification by Kazakhstan. However, so far, no action is towards the ratification although, the current international situation proves its urgency.

The Kyoto mechanisms are operating in 166 ratified countries. So, Russia has identified a Body responsible for these mechanisms realization. Now our north neighbor is preparing corresponding rules for private business. China is hosting CDM projects for more than a billion US dollars.  The European Union is implementing its greenhouse emission trading scheme within three years. Notwithstanding the US administration is against the Kyoto a state California and about other twenty states have voluntarily joined to the flexible mechanisms.   

-Kazakhstan in fact has also launched implementing its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol- says Kanat Baigarin, Director of Climate Change Coordination Centre. –At the end of last year Deputies adopted and then the President signed an Environmental Codex of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Ministry of Environment Protection initiated some sections dedicated to greenhouse gas emissions reduction to be included into this codex. In spite of this law the Protocol should be ratified first of all for integrating the national legislation with international and constructing effective tools for involving investments into an innovation sector of the economy. In September last year Nursultan Nazarbayev, the RK President, triggered a 25 MW gas turbine station on Uralsk CPS. This station is the outcome of the first pilot project under a Joint Implementation Kyoto mechanism. This project was implemented since 2003 upon the Agreement between Kazakhstan and Japan. Consuming fuel practically twice less than existing ones this is the most effective gas turbine device installed on the CIS area.     

Completely a new product – emission trading – the Kyoto envisages in the global level. It means, for example, a power station except kilowatt-hours and heating can produce quotas on pollutants and receive required funds for these quotas production from foreign customers. Obviously, this will be valid by realizing the policy of energy efficiency and saving.      

— At present Kazakhstan enters the five world leaders which are the most carbon intensive states – continues K. Baigarin. – Consequently, our economy is one of the most non-ecological. How could we speak about a competitive capacity if we are among these five countries mentioned above. A renewable energy theme is under discussion several years, but real actions have not been undertaken. By the way, for our country, a large exporter of oil, gas, coal, striving for using wind, solar and other renewable sources will be an indicator if its elite and competitive status. This is prestigious for the developed countries and communities that perceived it for sustainable development and aspiration for a balance in interaction with the nature. Kazakhstan having undergone the transit period must do it due its national long term strategy. A category of citizens capable to use ecologically friendly expensive sources for own needs, obviously exist in the country. Also installation of these renewable devices is most effective at the most remote settlements.

A year ago the importance of operative environmental legislation was mentioned at the Parliament Debates. The Ecological Codex adopted this year is not enough. A number of legal documents should be developed in order to chapters from this Codex start working.  For example, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources can not complete a development of draft Law on Renewable Energy. Some skeptical experts consider a corresponding section could be included into the existing more than ten years Law on Energy Saving. But the latter law is not actually working. First of all this happens as the energy producers are not interested in the energy saving. To sell more is profitable for them. And renewable energy could come to the energy market. On the whole, both documents are referred to different sectors and must function separately.

Opponents of the Kyoto ratification express their anxiety towards the quantitative targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions which are obligatory for the country according to this Protocol. They prove this obligation will constrain our economic development. However,   the Kyoto reduction commitments are only for the 2008 – 2012 period and the country decides itself whether to undertake due to its own economic opportunities and they can not be imposed on Kazakhstan. In 2006 at COP 12 in Nairobi the GHG Inventory of Kazakhstan was submitted in the format of Annex I Party. Annual emissions of greenhouse gases is 240 mln tons. Successful negotiations with the Protocol Parties have resulted 1992 adopted for Kazakhstan as the base year for our future commitments. In that year the emissions were 340 mln tons.  

Thereby, to meet this obligation is entirely able and it corresponds with all strategic plans of the country. In particular, the Industrial-Innovative program targets two times reduction of the energy intensity in the economy. Today many countries are developing their programs focused on zero carbon emissions. To realize so ambitious plans to be included into the world competitive leaders Kazakhstan needs to adopt a long term carbon strategy. Among twelve parameters characterizing a country’s place in the list of most competitive countries eleven of them will be achieved and improved due to the Kyoto ratification and participation of Kazakhstan in the flexible mechanisms. 
Maxim Shimansky