Astana to get green city elements by 2017

Astana will become the capital with green city elements by 2017, Tengrinews.kz reports citing Ainur Sospanova, Director of green technologies and investments attraction department of Kazakhstan Ministry of Environmental Protection as saying at the seminar called Prospects of green economy development in Kazakhstan. “I hope that we be able to cut greenhouse gas emissions in Astana by 2017. 90 percent of the problems with wastes will be resolved: we will have a system for domestic wastes management. We have quite a clean city, but it is not very green yet and we hope that it will be green enough by that time. We also hope that Astana will start generating power and heat using green technologies and renewable energy sources. I can say with the cautious optimism that Astana will become the capital with green city elements by 2017,” Sospanova said. According to her, it is yet early to speak about the future. The concept of EXPO-2017 will be formulated in the nearest two months. This concept will effect what Kazakhstan can show in Astana and the regions. As apart from attraction of investments, the important objectives of the exhibition include development of tourism and ecotourism. By Shynar Ospanova