Sustainable Development Solutions Network - SDSN Kazakhstan

SDSN Kazakhstan for the first time gets featured in the Sustainable Development Solutions Network's 2024 Networks in Action Report! This year's report focuses on mobilizing the world’s scientific and technical expertise for sustainable development in the lead up to the Summit of the Future! 📊🌐 The report showcases the latest initiatives and partnerships led by SDSN Networks to accelerate progress on the #SDGs. It highlights innovative and impactful solutions our global network is implementing to drive sustainable development. Read the full Networks in Action Report 2024: https://lnkd.in/daUStWZi

📢 We are pleased to announce the release of the International Energy Agency (IEA) report on Clean Energy Innovation Policies in Emerging and Developing Economies! The SDSN Kazakhstan team of researchers - Dr Stefanos Xenarios, Dr Stella Tsani, Dr Aliya Sembayeva and Dr Serik Orazgaliyev, - conducted a national case study article entitled “Energy and industrial transitions, and Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund”, specifically exploring approaches to achieve carbon neutrality and decrease emissions in alignment with the #Paris Agreement. This report presents 11 new case studies of national experiences with policy development and implementation in support of energy innovation in emerging and developing economies. The case studies, authored by national experts, cover a range of technologies and highlight distinct aspects of the energy innovation process across diverse settings in Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa. The chapter on Kazakhstan examines clean innovation policies and support in Kazakhstan focusing on the role of its Sovereign Wealth Fund SAMRUK-KAZYNA. Samruk-Kazyna, which owns industrial and commercial firms accounting for about 40% of national GDP, has initiated several energy innovation initiatives to curb emissions and stimulate economic development in its portfolio, contributing to national carbon reduction efforts. The chapter highlights the unique position of Samruk-Kazyna in Kazakhstan to channel capital towards long-term socioeconomic and environmental objectives in a manner that may not be feasible for private investors in similar emerging market economies. The key findings of the report include: ·       Effective innovation ecosystems can look very different depending on a country’s resources and institutional history; ·       There is huge potential for all countries to innovate the clean energy technology improvements the world needs, and for international innovation co-operation to support developing countries with their development, climate and energy security goals; ·       It is important that domestic policy and international support account for local contexts and identify areas for sharing experiences between governments. The full report is accessible via the link: https://lnkd.in/d_Pq_QWZ (the chapter on Kazakhstan is on pp. 139-156). Learn more on our website: https://lnkd.in/dvXppVgy Acknowledgements: This research project was supported as part of Nazarbayev University’s “Transition to Sustainable Energy Program” implemented by SDSN Kazakhstan in 2022-2023 and funded by Chevron.

💡🌐 SDSN KAZAKHSTAN NETWORK MEMBER SDU UNIVERSITY LAUNCHES SUSTAINABILITY WEEK SDU University, Kazakhstan, a member of SDSN Kazakhstan academic network, launched Sustainability Week on 23rd September 2024. The #Sustainability Week was also taking place in parallel with the Summit of the Future at the United Nations. The Summit of the Future is a high-level event that brings world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future. On Monday 23rd, SDSN Kazakhstan Acting Chair Dr Serik Orazgaliyev joined the Opening ceremony of the UN SDGs Corner at SDU University. Sustainable Development Week is a series of exciting events and activities all related to sustainability in all its possible facets, aimed at raising awareness among staff and students of SDU about environmental, economic (financial) sustainability, and social responsibility. The purpose of the week is to promote the 17 #UNSDGs, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, within the university community through practical seminars and discussions focused on addressing critical global challenges and enhancing the well-being of our planet. The event was attended by governmental and international organizations, including UN representatives in Kazakhstan, the Consulate of Germany, and representatives of The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) and several universities based in Almaty. #SDSNKazakhstan #SDGweek #SDU

🎉🥇🌐 Sustainable Development Solutions Network - SDSN Kazakhstan’s SDG Barometer project recognized for outstanding research excellence at the Nazarbayev University Annual Research Conference!   The SDSN’s SDG Barometer Project received a certificate of recognition for outstanding excellence in presenting the Best Poster in the research priority of “Socio-Economic Transformation”. The conference judges evaluated the posters along several criteria, including the importance of research, priority, research methods, and impact. Based on judges’ voting, the research team of Serik Orazgaliyev, Stefanos Xenarios, Anar Shaikenova and Nargiz Kapasheva won the competition for the SDG Barometer research project. The SDG Barometer Kazakhstan 2024 survey is an initiative of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Kazakhstan. The survey targeted more than 3000 respondents across Kazakhstan's 17 regions and 3 major cities, attempting to gather comprehensive, inclusive, and consultative data to ask for public opinion, expectations and prioritization of the most pressing problems towards the United Nations #SustainableDevelopmentGoals in Kazakhstan at national, subnational, and individual levels. The methodology adhered to the "leaving no one behind" principle, emphasizing the collection of granular data to reflect diverse population segments. Learn more about the project on our website: https://lnkd.in/ddXHGhDv

We are pleased to announce that SDSN Kazakhstan will be part of a Science for Nature and People Partnership (SNAPP)-funded Resilient Rangelands Project! Together with other institutions comprising conservation NGOs, herder associations, university researchers, and the UN FAO, we will help explore the ways to optimize management of Kazakh and Mongolian rangeland ecosystems to harmonise objectives of nature conservation and agricultural development. The project will use participatory approaches to develop scenarios for the western Kazakhstan and eastern Mongolia regions under different developmental pathways. The project outputs will result in spatial plans and management options to guide project delivery and provide evidence to develop supportive policy frameworks at national levels. For more information, please visit out website: https://lnkd.in/dzvWbvN4 #sdsnkz_news #sdsnkz_partnerships

📢📢📢 Our partners at ACBK — Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan - is looking for the Senior Specialist (Research Assistant) for their SNAPP project! Resilient Rangelands: Balancing rural economies and ecosystem integrity Funded by the Science for Nature and People Partnership (Science for Nature and People Partnership (SNAPP)) Job title: Senior Specialist Duration of Contract: Full-time, from 15 October 2024 to 30th June 2026 Location: Astana, Kazakhstan Salary: US$ $1,400 -2,038 pcm (668,000 – 973,435 Tenge) gross pcm depending on qualifications and experience Nationality: Open to Kazakh nationals only GENERAL INFORMATION Under the SNAPP-funded project “Resilient Rangelands” ACBK, together with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Wildlife Conservation Society Mongolia (WCS) is bringing together an inter-disciplinary research group from 16 institutions comprising conservation NGOs, university researchers, and the UN FAO to consider the question of how to manage Kazakh and Mongolian steppe ecosystems in a way that balances nature conservation and agricultural development objectives. Two case study landscapes will be studied in West Kazakhstan and Eastern Mongolia. Embedded within the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK), the Senior Specialist will play a pivotal role in supporting the research group to achieve its objectives. They will assist with the research process, compile and analyse social and environmental data, organise stakeholder workshops and assist with the management of the project. Excitingly, the Research Assistant will have exposure to innovative, multi-disciplinary approaches and can further develop experience from national and international experts as part of the Working Group. This is a unique opportunity for an early career researcher who seeks to expand their knowledge of sustainable rangeland management at the intersection of conservation and agriculture. About the Position The Senior Specialist’s role is to work alongside working group members to consider resilience in steppe ecosystems from a range of perspectives. They will assist with compilation and analysis of social and environmental data to develop scenarios exploring the future of steppe landscapes in West Kazakhstan and assist partners in Mongolia to undertake similar scenarios. They will organise stakeholder workshops and facilitate local input into the scenarios and assist in translating these to identify possible future land-use options. Working under the mentorship of two UK academics, the Senior Specialist role is essential to successful coordination of this Working Group, the development of its key scientific outputs and conservation outcomes from this project. Your application Please send your CV/resume and a covering letter explaining how you meet the person specification in the Terms of Reference to hr@acbk.kz by 16 September 2024

The Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2024 has been released! This year's edition focuses on the UN Summit of the Future that will take place in September 2024. We are pleased to announce that SDSN Kazakhstan's Co-Chair Serik Orazgaliyev is among 100+ global scientists and practitioners, who endorsed a special chapter with Recommendations of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) to the UN Summit of the Future! The 9th edition features the SDG Index and Dashboards, offering the latest data to monitor and rank the performance of all UN Member States on the hashtag hashtag #SDGs. This edition also introduces a new Index assessing countries' support for UN-based multilateralism among all 193 UN Member States, along with new FABLE pathways outlining how to achieve sustainable food and land systems by mid-century. Additionally, the first chapter of the report, highlights priorities for upgrading the United Nations to tackle the significant challenges of the 21st century and achieve sustainable development, including five strategies to address chronic shortfalls in SDG financing. Access the report here: https://lnkd.in/de2D5fRT

Call for Consultants! 📢 The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is looking for a Consultant to deliver activity 3.1: a landscape macro-assessment, comprising an analysis of socio-economic drivers of change within western Kazakhstan within the ‘Learning from the past, restoring for the future: Rewilding West Kazakhstan’s Steppe’ project. The assessment aims to understand the larger socio-economic and political drivers which influence land use within the region and have the potential to drive landscape's degradation, or on the other hand, offer opportunities for restoration. It contains a strong emphasis on pastoral agriculture. This assessment constitutes a critical step to think about future scenarios for the region and develop restoration plans for key areas. Please send your CV at sdsn@nu.edu.kz no later than Sunday, March 24, 2024. 

NU GSPP and NU SDSN researchers took part in the making of the Production Gap Report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).   Associate Professor of the NU Graduate School of Public Policy Dr. Serik Orazgaliyev and the NU Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Research Associate Dr. Aliya Sembayeva contributed to the writing of the 4th Production Gap Report published by the UN Environment Programme. Commenting on the findings of the report, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stated that ‘The 2023 Production Gap report is a startling indictment of runaway climate carelessness’. The Report is also widely discussed in reputable media outlets such as the The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian.   This is the fourth edition of the Production Gap Report, which tracks the misalignment between governments’ planned fossil fuel production and global production levels consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C. The report represents a collaboration of several research institutions from 30 countries. The report is externally peer-reviewed, with additional guidance and support from the UNEP, and review by the UNFCCC government focal points. The production gap analysis is based on recent and publicly accessible plans and projections for fossil fuel production published by governments and affiliated institutions. This year’s report features two major updates to the production gap analysis, drawing on the new mitigation scenarios database compiled for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report and changes in government plans and projections since August 2021. The report also provides individual country profiles for 20 major fossil-fuel-producing countries, evaluating governments’ latest climate ambitions and their plans, policies, and strategies that support fossil fuel production or the transition away from it. Kazakhstan is among the 20 major fossil fuel producers included in the report. Contribution to the PGR is part of a related research project implemented at NU SDSN, which focuses on institutional challenges of energy transition in Kazakhstan. The next study that is expected to be finalized in 2024 is the project on Clean energy policies and institutions in Kazakhstan. This report will be published as part of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Case Study collections. The PGR report may be cited as: The Production Gap (2023): Phasing down or phasing up? Top fossil fuel producers plan even more extraction despite climate promises. SEI, Climate Analytics, E3G, IISD, UNEP https://lnkd.in/eiHWkjaV