22 May 2025
Astana, Kazakhstan

On 20–21 May 2025, the Forestry and Wildlife Committee of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in collaboration with the UNDP Country Office in Kazakhstan, convened a national workshop titled “Strategic Vision for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan: Initial Results, Next Steps, and Financial Mechanisms.”

The workshop provided a critical platform to discuss the draft Concept for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2025–2035), which serves as the country's National Biodiversity Strategy and Plan (NBSAP). The event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders—government agencies, international organizations, academia, the private sector, and civil society—to align national biodiversity priorities with global commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

The workshop marked an important milestone in Kazakhstan’s journey toward an inclusive, well-resourced, and forward-looking biodiversity strategy. Photo by Kumar Kylychev 

Key objectives of the workshop included:

• Presenting the initial outcomes of the draft Concept and its Action Plan;
• Hosting expert consultations on the alignment of the Concept with the GBF targets;
• Informing national stakeholders about the development of Kazakhstan’s 7th National Report on Biodiversity;
• Facilitating dialogue on sustainable financing mechanisms for protected areas, OECMs, and biodiversity.

The event also served as an opportunity to introduce the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership and its MatchMaking Mechanism, which links country requests with essential technical and financial support, helping drive country-led action for GBF-aligned NBSAP implementation. The MatchMaking Mechanism generated interest from potential partners and service providers who expressed interest in joining as members and offering their services to interested member states.

Mr. Daniyar Turgambayev, Chairman of the Forestry and Wildlife Committee. Photo by UNDP

In his opening remarks, Mr. Daniyar Turgambayev, Chairman of the Forestry and Wildlife Committee, emphasized that Kazakhstan’s membership to the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, official since April 2024, marked a major step forward. It opened new avenues for accessing international strategic and technical support in implementing the national NBSAP. He highlighted the importance of the partnership’s role in promoting a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, engaging not only the Ministry but also other state institutions, the private sector, academia, and civil society in biodiversity conservation.

Want to follow Kazakhstan’s progress—and that of other countries—as we work together to accelerate action for biodiversity? Subscribe to the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership’s mailing list and stay informed about how collective action is driving change. Learn more about our Facilitator Programme on our website.

The NBSAP Accelerator Partnership is a country-led initiative to accelerate the implementation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), raise their political profile, and drive collective action for nature. It is supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, and Consumer Protection (BMUV) through its International Climate Initiative (IKI), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), through the global project “GBF Implementation,” implemented by GIZ. Its work is facilitated by a Global Coordination Unit (GCU) hosted by UNEP, UNDP and the Secretariat of the CBD.