Water resources in Kazakhstan: analysis and challenges of environmental safety

Abstract

This research focuses on the conservation and environmental safety of Kazakhstan’s water resources. Water scarcity is a global issue, and its increase is likely to trigger a chain reaction with devastating consequences, including threats to the world’s population, more than half of whom already lack access to clean drinking water. In Kazakhstan, disruptions to ecosystem stability, compounded by a lack of environmental awareness among the population, undermine sustainable development, regardless of the country’s strong economic potential. Sustainable development in Kazakhstan is not only about oil production but primarily concerns the environmental safety of its population and its social stability. The authors’ analysis of the environmental safety of water resources and the ongoing government conservation programs in Kazakhstan reveals troubling conclusions. Despite the implementation of legal regulations and the establishment of goals aimed at sustainable development, the level of environmental awareness and education in Kazakhstani society remains insufficient. Irregular water usage, the lack of adoption of water-saving technologies, and human activities that contribute to pollution and ecosystem degradation continue to pose significant challenges to Kazakhstan’s water balance.