The 12th meeting of the Parliamentary Commission for Monitoring the Implementation of National Sustainable Development Goals and Objectives of the Republic of Kazakhstan was held today in Atyrau, chaired by Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbayev. Participants raised issues related to the sustainable management of the aquatic ecosystems of the Caspian Sea and the Zhaiyk River in the context of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Senators also met with the public and employees of several social and industrial facilities in the region.

During the parliamentary commission meeting, environmental issues related to the region's water basins were highlighted. In particular, according to the Senate Speaker, issues related to pollution, declining fish populations, and increasing anthropogenic impact on the region's ecosystems require special attention.

"President Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev has repeatedly emphasized that the rapid decline in the Caspian Sea level has ceased to be an exclusively regional problem and has become a global one. As a practical response, Kazakhstan has initiated the development of an Interstate Program for the Conservation of Caspian Sea Water Resources. Continuing to advance the international water agenda, the Head of State also proposed establishing a Center for Water Analysis under the auspices of the SCO in Astana and proposed establishing the International Water Organization as a specialized UN agency. The issue of the Zhaiyk River is no less pressing. It is important to note that these problems cannot be considered in isolation. They require interagency coordination, scientifically sound solutions, and the active participation of local executive bodies, the expert community, public environmental organizations, and international partners," Maulen Ashimbayev said.

The lack of a systematic approach to the shallowing of the Caspian Sea was also noted during the meeting. In the Zhaiyk Delta area and the coast of the Mangystau Region, the coast has retreated by 30-35 kilometers, leading to soil salinization, ecosystem degradation, and the loss of spawning grounds. The risk of dust storms with toxic sediments is increasing. The Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission emphasized that preserving the Caspian Sea and the Zhaiyk River is a matter of long-term environmental security, quality of life for citizens, and sustainable development of the entire Caspian region, outlining key tasks for the upcoming joint work of the government, science, the public, business, and international partners to achieve the SDGs.

Along with members of the Senate and Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the meeting of the parliamentary commission was attended by Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Akim of the Atyrau Region Serik Shapkenov, and representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture, Ecology and Natural Resources, and National Economy.

Presentations were also given by UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan Katarzyna Wawiernia, international expert on water resources management and climate change and coordinator of the Central Asian Platform for Water Resources Management and Climate Change Bulat Yessekin, heads of regional akimats, and representatives of public and international organizations.

Government representatives and experts presented recommendations and initiatives for further joint work, the implementation of which, as the Senate Speaker noted, will be monitored by the public and interested parties.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/atyrau/press/news/details/1236361?lang=ru