Ecological problems of modern central Kazakhstan: challenges and possible solutions

Abstract

This article discusses issues related to the environmental problems in various sectors of the Central Kazakhstan’s economy at the present stage. It is emphasized that the level of environmental pollution is increasing along with industrial progress in coal, non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy, chemistry, engineering, and the growth of the transport highways network and numerous communications. The authors of the article give examples of how the transition to market mechanisms of economic development generated, on the one hand, the growth of the republic’s powerful economic potential. On the other hand, the increase in industrial production with energy and resource-intensive production has led to a real threat of an environmental crisis in the region. It is concluded that the solution of the environmental problem is possible by preserving and restoring natural systems, a complete social transition to sustainable development by practical implementation of the environmental concept, including natural-resource, techno-economic, demographic and sociocultural aspects. According to the authors, these measures will contribute to the way out of the current environmental crisis, a radical improvement of the environment, will be the key to preserving the ecology of space. The methodological basis of the study was the principle of scientific objectivity, which allowed to analyze the subject under study taking into account the realities of economic changes in the industry.

Environmental problems of the oil and gas industry in Kazakhstan

“…Currently, humanity is in a period of over-intensive use of environmental resources, i.e., the consumption of resources exceeds their growth, which inevitably leads to the depletion of resources. The current ecological state of the territory of Kazakhstan can be defined as critical [12,13]. Intense pollution of the natural environment continues posing a real threat to the very biological foundations of the health and life of the country's population.…”

Analysis of new state documents on environmental awareness aspects in Kazakhstan

“…The Republic of Kazakhstan has been plagued for many years with serious environmental problems ranging from air pollution matters to problems related to waste management aspects. Among the most serious environmental problems according to Alimbaev et al [14] are environmental issues related to state of air, water pollution, and water resource shortage. This has especially been exacerbated due to the growth of the country's economy, among them related to the aspects such as industrial growth of production of coal, non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy; high level of urbanization and growth of transport routes [14].…”

“…Among the most serious environmental problems according to Alimbaev et al [14] are environmental issues related to state of air, water pollution, and water resource shortage. This has especially been exacerbated due to the growth of the country's economy, among them related to the aspects such as industrial growth of production of coal, non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy; high level of urbanization and growth of transport routes [14]. For instance, according to book "Yesterday was too late: Ecological risks of Kazakhstan" that was published under the scientific research project on writing Collective monograph about on environmental issues of Kazakhstan, in terms of water resource deficiency problem, one of the main factors for this particular issue to occur are the irrational use of water resources for agricultural use [15].…”

Modern environmental problems of the Kyzylorda region: challenges and possible solutions

“…Of these, 250 thousand km 2 (or 56.6%) are located on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which are controlled by the Aral-Syrdarya Basin Inspection for the regulation of the use and protection of water resources. Two regions of the republic, South Kazakhstan and Kyzylorda, are almost entirely located in the Syrdarya basin (with the exception of the Suzak region of the South Kazakhstan region) included in four water management regions, E3S Web of Conferences 203, 05001 (2020) EBWFF-2020 https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202020305001 i.e., the middle reaches -the Golodnaya steppe of the Republic of Kazakhstan with an area of about two thousand km 2 , Chirchik-Angren-Keles irrigation region -12 thousand km 2 , Arys-Turkestan -28 thousand km 2 and the lower reaches -208 thousand km 2 . On the territory of the Kyzylorda region, there is a part of the Aral Sea, the basin of which is a closed-off region, consisting of two independent basins of the Amu Darya and Syrdarya.…”

“…This was facilitated by various factors, primarily, by political and social processes that took place in the Kazakh open spaces in the pre-Soviet and Soviet periods [1]. Modern Kazakhstan, which has developed industrial sectors, is faced with environmental problems both regionally and by sector [2,3]. This paper will focus on the environmental situation in one of the largest regions of Kazakhstan, the Kyzylorda region.…”