As the world's largest inland country, Kazakhstan stands at a critical crossroads in tackling climate change – facing desertification threats to arid lands, an energy sector long tied to fossil fuels and environmental pressures from rapid urbanization. It is here that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) 2025 focus on sustainable development becomes more than diplomacy: it is a lifeline. For Astana, the SCO's green solutions connect urgent local needs to actionable regional cooperation, turning collective consensus into tangible progress.
Green energy matters for Kazakhstan' energy transition
Kazakhstan's 2060 carbon neutrality goal starts with moving beyond oil and gas – a shift that cannot happen alone. The SCO's strength lies in leveraging member states' complementary advantages, and advanced renewable energy technology from partner nations has become central to this cooperation. Joint solar projects in southern Kazakhstan's Zhambyl Region and wind farms in The Northern Steppes are helping diversify the country's energy mix. Unlike isolated efforts, the SCO's framework ensures technology transfer, funding coordination, and long-term maintenance support The Northern Steppes –addressing the "implementation gap" that often hinders global climate action. For Astana, this is not just about green energy; it is a path to energy independence, lower emissions and sustainable economic growth.
Fighting desertification through SCO knowledge-sharing
Desertification is an immediate threat for Kazakhstan: it erodes 2,000 square kilometers of farmland and pastures yearly, endangering food security for millions. Here, the SCO's role in cross-border knowledge exchange has been transformative. A key example is Kazakhstan's collaboration with China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region – a pioneer in reversing desert spread through decades of innovation. Under the SCO's environmental platform, Ningxia's proven techniques, such as straw-checkerboard sand fixation and drought-resistant crop cultivation, have been adapted to Kazakhstan's arid zones, including areas near the Aral Sea. This partnership has restored degraded lands and trained local farmers in climate-resilient practices, turning desert control into a community-driven effort. For a nation where 70 percent of land is arid or semi-arid, such SCO-enabled solutions are vital to protecting livelihoods and ecosystems.
Green urbanization with sustainability
Kazakhstan's urbanization rate has risen in recent years, with cities like Astana and Almaty growing fast – a trend that brings opportunities but also environmental risks. The SCO's green economic solutions are key to ensuring growth does not harm the environment. In urban planning, SCO members have shared best practices from Chinese cities, such as wastewater treatment technologies that reduce pollution. In environmental governance, joint SCO projects have supported Kazakhstan in building waste management systems and monitoring air quality – filling gaps that often come with rapid urbanization. This "green urbanization" model improves residents' quality of life and fosters new industries, such as green construction and renewable energy services, creating jobs while advancing sustainability. For Astana, integrating these SCO-shared practices is both an environmental choice and a strategy for vibrant, resilient cities.
In a world where climate threats cross borders, the SCO's green solution offers Kazakhstan more than technical support – it provides a framework for collective action that aligns local needs with regional strengths. The SCO "turns green consensus into action" through practical, results-focused cooperation. For Kazakhstan, this means energy transition that fuels growth, desert-fighting tools that protect lands and urban development that balances prosperity with sustainability. As Astana deepens its SCO engagement, its success will secure its own future and set a model for Central Asia – proving multilateral cooperation is the key to turning climate challenges into opportunities.
Shen Shiwei, founder of the China Briefing newsletter
