Diplomat highlights Kazakhstan's methane reduction accomplishments at RES-2026
On the sidelines of the Regional Ecological Summit (RES-2026) in Astana, Zulfiya Suleimenova, Ambassador-at-Large of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, spoke about the country's environmental achievements and priorities, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to her, Kazakhstan has gained significant experience and presently holds leading positions across several areas of the environmental agenda.
"Particularly in the field of methane emission reduction, Kazakhstan is one of the countries that has achieved concrete results. That is why we have the opportunity to share our accumulated experience in environmental modernization and protection at the international level," she said.
Zulfiya Suleimenova noted that the summit's specific outcomes will be announced in the coming days. During the preparatory stage back in 2023, two fundamental issues were articulated: the platform's impact on regional cooperation and contribution to advancing the environmental agenda.
The speaker emphasized that the summit pays particular attention to issues that directly concern the public: air quality, waste management, and water resources. In her assessment, the level of environmental awareness in society remains high.
She also addressed the impact of artificial intelligence technologies on the environment, specifically on data center operations.
"In this context, special attention is paid to the work of data centers. Such facilities require significant amounts of electricity and water, as cooling systems are used for their uninterrupted operation, leading to substantial water consumption," she pointed out.
According to her, measures are currently being considered to reduce energy consumption at data centers, transition to renewable energy sources, and reduce water consumption.
Looking ahead, these requirements will become stricter and may become a priority of public policy. Various solutions are also being discussed at the international level, including the use of nuclear energy, which is characterized by low emissions but high water consumption.
"Overall, our main goal is to reduce the consumption of natural resources and lessen the burden on the environment," Suleimenova concluded.
Earlier, Kazakhstan’s ecology minister stressed the importance of joint green initiatives.
