Training Workshop in Kazakhstan on Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) and the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS)
16 December 2024
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) through its technical assistance NDC Advance program titled: Supporting the Implementation of Climate Change Operational Framework 2017–2030 assisted the Government of Kazakhstan with a study to enhance the MRV in relation to its ETS. This study provided a comprehensive set of recommendations to improve MRV processes related to the KAZ ETS.
The Republic of Kazakhstan ratified as a national law the Paris Agreement in November 2016. In its 2023 updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Government provided an unconditional target of reducing GHG emissions by 15% by the end of 2030 relative to 1990 base year, and a conditional target to bring emission reductions up to 25% subject to significant additional international investments and significant grant assistance, access to an international technology transfer mechanism, co financing and participation in international research projects, development of promising low-carbon technologies and initiatives to build local expertise.
More than 80 % of GHG emissions in Kazakhstan are associated with the extraction, processing, transportation, storage and combustion of fuels in all sectors of the economy (stationary and mobile sources). To drive decarbonization in energy and industry, Kazakhstan launched its emission trading scheme (KAZ ETS) in January 2013 following development of Kazakhstan's environmental legislation. It covered around half of Kazakhstan's carbon dioxide emissions in 2022, stemming from 201 installations in the power, centralized heating, extracting industries, and manufacturing sectors. In 2022, a total of 8.7 MtCO2 allowances from the reserve were issued to 57 regulated installations. The system was briefly suspended in 2016 and 2017 to tackle operational issues and reform allocation rules, although monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) obligations still applied.
In December 2024, a capacity-building activity in Astana to enhance the capacity of key government departments of Kazakhstan on MRV and ETS including carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement was organized by ADB. The training workshop provided a series of lectures and group exercises provided by Aether’s Melanie Hobson and Bob Boyce on practical application of concepts and tools.
The objective of the training workshop was to impart awareness, knowledge, and skills to participants about the fundamentals of measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of Kazakhstan’s NDC and how this is applied to enhance its carbon monitoring in relation to carbon markets and ETS.
See all news