Modern Companies, Healthy Environment

Abstract

The objective of this report is two-fold. First, it is to raise awareness of the health and economic damages of industrial air pollution in key oblasts and to develop long-term options of improving industrial competitiveness. The second objective is to synthesize the results of a pilot benchmarking exercise of selected industries on natural resource and energy efficiency improvements, cleaner production and identify options for cleaner and greener industrial production in Kazakhstan. The report is structured as follows. Section two motivates the cleaner production topic by providing some estimates of the health impacts and economic costs of air pollution in Kazakhstan. Air pollution is selected because of data availability, but also because it is one of Kazakhstan's major environmental priorities. Section three provides a discussion of the current regulatory framework that industry faces as well as its limitations. Section four reviews the results from the pilot benchmarking exercise among selected industrial firms that were subject to 'quick-scans' for efficiency and pollution reduction improvements. Section five gives some examples how businesses have responded to environmental norms and section six reviews the major constraints faced by industry in environmental compliance and clean technology adoption. Finally, section seven provides some concrete recommendations in areas that both government and industry can pursue in achieving greater environmental compliance and clean technology adoption.