Deputy Mayor of Almaty: Central Asian cities face similar challenges

Central Asian cities are facing similar challenges, Nurlan Abdrakhim, Deputy Mayor of Almaty, said during an event held within the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, according to Report.

Abdrakhim said that cities in the region are struggling with rapid population growth, traffic congestion, air pollution, climate change, and increasing pressure on infrastructure: "For Almaty in particular, air quality and urbanization pressure are among the main problems. As Kazakhstan's largest metropolis, Almaty strongly feels the environmental impact of transport emissions, energy sources, and urbanization."

He added that Almaty is transitioning its thermal power plant network to a gas-based system: "Within the project, the plant is being converted to run on gas. This step will significantly reduce the volume of polluting emissions in the city. New regulations on air protection are being prepared, aimed at strengthening ecological management."

The Deputy Mayor noted that Almaty intends to share its urban development experience on the SPECA platform: "Almaty is not only interested in learning international practices but also in sharing its own approaches to urban development. Currently, work is underway to expand the city's green framework, develop public spaces, and restore the water canal network. Digital technologies are being applied for air monitoring, and the number of monitoring stations is being increased."