Kazakhstan to Expand Protected Areas to 34 Million Hectares by 2035
Kazakhstan plans to increase its network of protected lands from 30.9 million hectares to 34 million hectares by 2035, setting a new regional benchmark in biodiversity conservation under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The milestone was highlighted at the concluding seminar of the SPACES Kazakhstan project, conducted with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources in Almaty. The initiative has helped Kazakhstan meet national biodiversity targets and implement innovative financing strategies to ensure long-term sustainability.
By piloting Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) for the first time in Central Asia, the country aims to raise the share of conserved lands to nearly 30% of its territory, advancing commitments as part of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People.
Recent progress includes feasibility studies and public consultations for the Aral Ormany State Forest Nature Reserve, development of the Zhaiyk Ormany Reserve, and expansion of the Ustyurt Nature Reserve, adding 1.97 million hectares of protected land. These efforts will safeguard Persian leopard migration corridors and enable large-scale ecological restoration in the dried Aral Sea basin.
Photo credit: UNDP Kazakhstan
