Supporting the development of Kazakhstan’s NDC 3.0

Responding to a request from the Government of Kazakhstan, this project was a wide-ranging effort to support the development of Kazakhstan’s NDC 3.0. The Government approached SEI because of our experience with national climate planning, research objectivity, and integrated services – covering mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and finance components of NDCs. 

For the NDC 3.0, SEI provided critical support in each of these areas. Using our Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) and Next Energy Modeling system for Optimization (NEMO) tools, we conducted in-depth modelling of greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation opportunities in Kazakhstan, covering both energy sectors – including energy industries, transport, buildings, industry – and non-energy sectors such as waste and agriculture, forestry and other land use. These analyses quantified the impacts of key policies and measures and informed the selection of the NDC’s unconditional and conditional mitigation targets. Contrary to the approach of many NDC consultants, we delivered our model in its entirety to the Government along with training on how to use it. This positions Kazakhstan to continue using the model for future NDC updates, measurement, reporting and verification activities. 

Our adaptation and loss and damage efforts involved reviewing existing policies and programs, assessing observed trends in climate-related risks and vulnerabilities across regions and sectors in Kazakhstan, identifying gaps and challenges, and providing cost estimates for key adaptation and loss and damage measures. 

Complementing the work on mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage, the SEI team provided a detailed analysis of the NDC’s investment requirements and a financing strategy for its implementation. We benchmarked climate-relevant financial flows, assessed potential additional financing mechanisms and instruments, and outlined guidelines, technical requirements, and capacity building needs. 

The project was a cross-centre effort, drawing on expertise across SEI and culminating in the development of a draft NDC 3.0 document. Throughout the project, SEI acted as a thought partner for the government, collaborating on technical, policy and capacity building questions.