Assessment of Decarbonization Potential of Basic Sectors of the Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Long-term Strategy “Kazakhstan-2050” and adopted in 2013 by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev’s Concept on transition to “green economy” (hereinafter - the Concept) identified priorities to implement “green”, low carbon technologies and reduce the carbon intensity of the national economy. Within the concept of the task of achieving the share of renewable energy sources (RES) in the total energy balance of the country by 2020 - 3%, by 2050 - 50%, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector. Achievement of target indicators, as well as the international obligations of the country in the framework of the implementation of the framework Convention on climate change (UNFCCC), the UN and the Paris climate agreement suggest the need for research in mitigation of climate change and transition to low-carbon development. Currently, Kazakhstan’s economy is at the stage of structural transformation and the implementation for the second program of industrial-innovative development, designed to change the raw material orientation and to eliminate economic imbalances in development of industries that create new benefit. At the same time, long-term and dynamic development of industries of fuel and energy and mining complexes led to high energy and carbon intensity of gross domestic product.