Climate Change Coordination Centre

Climate Change Coordination Centre (C4) – first Kazakhstani NGO that works in the field of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),  the Kyoto Protocol (KP) and Vienna Convention on Ozone Layer Protection.

The Centre was established after completing USAID project Kazakhstan’s Initiative on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction. The project formed the base necessary for establishing strong professional network of experts in the field of energy efficiency and nature protecting activities. Project specialists established working groups for implementing first greenhouse gases reduction projects. This demonstrated the possibilities for implementing such projects and their benefits for population and the economy.

Today the C4 is an independent stable organization that is able to attract resources and financial streams for solving outstanding environmental issues in Kazakhstan.

Education:
C4 trained a lot of specialists in different environmental spheres, for example in frames of the Caspian basin greenhouse gas emissions reduction training program over 50 specialists were trained in projects implementation in frames of the Kyoto Protocol. These specialists have the knowledge and methodological documents for further training other specialists. 

Education and training activities are not limited only to climate issues. From 2002 to 2006 the Centre in cooperation with UNEP, UNDP, Ministry of Environment Protection and Customs Control Committee implemented large UNEP/GEF project “ODS Phase Out Programme”. Over 50 workshops were held in frames of the project in all cities of Kazakhstan and 2500 specialists were trained in ODS handling. Participants also received grant equipment for ODS recovery and recycling, that allows preventing leaks and repairing the refrigeration equipment without emitting hazardous substances into atmosphere. Training Centers for refrigeration technicians were also established in frames of the projects where C4 specialists provide thematic lectures.  In 2006 the Customs Control Committee included ODS import/export control module in its regular training courses.

Legislative activities:
Resolving environmental issues is impossible without the corresponding legislative basis. C4 makes all possible efforts to improve and harmonize legislative basis in Kazakhstan in order to implement obligations under the international environmental conventions.  

Under the ODS phase out project C4 facilitated the following legislative documents:
- Resolutions of the Government on licensing the environmentally dangerous activities and on banning import of OD and ODS containing products.
- Draft Resolution and Law on joining the Copenhagen and Montreal Amendments. Their adoption expected in near future.  
- Justification documents on joining the Beijing Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. 
- Introduction of quotas on HCFCs starting from 2007 into the Work Plan of the Ministry of Environment Protection.

In frames of the Kyoto Protocol ratification C4 facilitated the following documents:

The Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the Ambient Air Protection; Instruction on preparation, agreeing and adoption of GHG reduction projects in Kazakhstan; Resolution of the Government on establishing Interdepartmental Commission on the Kyoto Protocol ratification issues.

The C4 specialists are involved in Draft Law “On Renewable Energy Resources” and Draft Environmental Code preparation.

Interdepartmental Coordination
The established Interdepartmental Commission recommended the Government the following:
· Appoint 1992 as base year for further GHG inventories.
· Annual budget funding for GHG inventory.
· Develop Instruction on preparation, agreeing and adoption of GHG reduction projects in Kazakhstan.

C4 signed Memorandums of Understanding with the Ministry of Environment Protection, Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, in order to facilitate inclusion of environmental protection activities into national economy.

Analytical works:
From the very beginning C4 provides expert services in the field of the Kyoto mechanisms influence on the Kazakhstani economy. C4 also prepared a large number of analytical reviews for governmental bodies, international organizations and companies. The largest ones are: «Improvement of economic and financial mechanisms of nature use and environment protection», «Economic impact evaluation of the Kyoto Protocol on Annex I countries and perspectives for Kazakhstan’s participation in the carbon market», «Environmental impact assessment of fuel and energy complex of Kazakhstan until 2020», «Situation scenarios of ??2 emissions and regulation mechanisms in Kazakhstan»

For international organizations C4 prepared a number of reviews describing situation in Kazakhstan relating to projects and programs implementation in the field of GHG emissions reduction.

International partners of C4 are such organizations as PROFING (Slovakia), RAMBOL (Denmark), TOHOKU (Japan), NEDO (Japan), SOFRECO (??) TACIS, UNDP, UNEP, CIDA, ADB and others.

Project activities:
C4 is also an active project operator. In cooperation with USAID we implemented project “Kazakhstan’s Initiative on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction”, in cooperation with UNEP – “ODS Phase Out Programme in Kazakhstan”, in cooperation with the UK Government – “National System Strengthening for GHG Emission Reduction”.

Very important for the Republic of Kazakhstan and C4 was cooperation with Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). In cooperation with CIDA we implemented the following projects: «Enforcement t of Kazakhstan Initiatives for developing capacities on using of JI/CDM Mechanisms in the frames of reaction to Global Climate change» - two phases of the project, and: «Caspian basin greenhouse gas emissions reduction training program». In frames of the last one we implemented three demo projects on construction and reconstruction of Small Hydro Power Stations.

C4 also actively cooperates with the European Union. In cooperation with Danish company  RAMBOL we implemented project “Development of CDM Projects in Kazakhstan”, presently EU/TACIS project «Technical Assistance to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan with respect to their Global Climate Change Commitments" is ongoing in Kazakhstan.

With C4 assistance Japanese company NEDO launched the project «Model Project on Energy saving at Uralsk HPP».

C4 also provides expert support for UNDP/GEF project «Assistance to the Republic of Kazakhstan in preparing Second National Communication to the UN FCCC»

Logistics:
Today, C4, on high professional level organizes awareness raising activities on environmental issues. Pupils, students, school and University teachers, international experts, local authorities, ministries and NGOs take part in the C4 actions.

C4 conducted a large number of seminars, workshops and trainings in the field of the environment protection, saving the ozone layer and climate change prevention. All event were conducted on high professional level and sense of responsibility.   

C4 aims to be open for any ideas and proposals in the field of nature protection activities in Kazakhstan.