The Sustainable Development Center of ENU held a training seminar in Karaganda on climate change adaptation and education

The Sustainable Development Center of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University organized a training seminar in the city of Karaganda, focused on key issues of sustainable education and climate change adaptation.

The event brought together experts, educators, and representatives of governmental and public organizations interested in developing sustainable strategies and integrating climate approaches into the educational process. During the seminar, participants discussed current challenges, shared best practices, and developed joint solutions for the region’s sustainable future.

This was the second in-person event within a series organized by the Center for Sustainable Development of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in cooperation with the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). The seminars aim to foster dialogue between science, business, civil society, and youth, as well as to promote sustainable approaches in climate policy.

Climate Risks in Industrial Regions

The Karaganda meeting focused on the challenges faced by industrial regions of Kazakhstan in the context of climate change. Participants discussed issues related to urban planning, environmental impacts of industrial production, biodiversity conservation, and efficient water resource management.

A central part of the program was a business game on climate risk assessment. In an interactive format, participants analyzed key threats, including extreme temperatures, reduced working days, floods, transboundary water conflicts, as well as legal and reputational risks associated with greenwashing.

Practical Solutions and Initiatives

Following the discussions, concrete proposals for adapting to climate change were developed. Priority measures include improving legislation to stimulate investments in environmentally sustainable technologies, implementing comprehensive climate risk assessments at regional and enterprise levels, creating a unified system for accounting damage caused by climate events, and enhancing environmental safety of tailings storage facilities and industrial sites.

Participants also proposed considering climate factors when awarding grant funding, developing urban water circulation infrastructure, and adopting measures for restoring and preserving biodiversity.

Dialogue Across Generations and Sectors

The seminar brought together representatives from business, academia, educational institutions, and youth. Attendees included employees of Kazakhmys company, school teachers and students interested in climate education, as well as faculty and students from leading local universities — Abylkas Saginov Karaganda Technical University and Karaganda University named after academician E.A. Buketov. Active participation was also provided by staff from the Center for Sustainable Development at Karaganda University named after academician E.A. Buketov, who presented university initiatives in climate education and sustainable development.

This format enabled not only knowledge and experience exchange but also a lively dialogue between generations and professional communities.

Forward - Towards Joint Solutions

The seminar in Karaganda marked an important step towards developing sustainable climate policy at the regional level. The next training seminars will be held on October 10 in Almaty and on October 16 online. The final meeting will focus on refining project proposals and discussing potential sources for their implementation.