Green Energy & Waste Recycling Forum (GEWR) is the largest forum in Central Asia on waste management and renewable energy. The conference has been organized annually since 2016. It brings together professionals operating in the field of green energy and waste processing, and provides them with a platform for sharing ideas, experiences, good practices, and technologies for disposal, recycling, and utilization of waste.
The 3 main topics of this year's event were:
- Green Energy
- Waste Management
- Green Investments
On the second day of the Conference there was a three and a half hour-long segment dedicated to methane titled National Methane Forum. It was focused on different approaches to methane emissions reduction across various sectors and on best practices applicable in each of those industries.
Within the framework of that segment representatives of the UNECE Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane and Just Transition spoke about methane mitigation opportunities in the coal sector, highlighting also the links between emissions abatement efforts and Just Transition. The audience was addressed by:
- Ms. Volha Roshchanka, the Chair of the Group's Task Force on Methane Emissions Reduction,
- Mr. Raymond Pilcher, the Chair of the Group of Experts, and
- Mr. Michal Drabik, Secretary of the Group.
Three delivered presentations built on the panel discussion with a similar focus held at the 18th session of the Group, and constituted the next step in engaging stakeholders from Kazakhstan on decarbonizing the Karaganda region through mine closure, methane management, and building foundations for the hydrogen-based net zero economy. The discussion initiated in Geneva and resumed in Astana, will continue at the 32 session of the Committee on Sustainable Energy scheduled for this September.
The segment in question was moderated by Ms. Ainur Sospanova, Chairman of the Board of the RES Association “Qazaq Green”, and featured also the following speakers:
- Ms. Alma Zhukenova, Deputy Director for RES of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan,
- Mr. Sultan Kaspakov, Director of Qazbioenergy LLP,
- Mr. Marat Bimaganbetov, Director of LLP "GorKomTrans of the city of Karaganda", and
- Mr. Alimbek Aubakirov, CFO of "Burabai Biogas & Fertilizers Factory".