On October 5, at the International Investment Forum which took place in Almaty, Deputy Mayor of the city, A.Madiyev, raised again the topic of construction of the mountain ski resort «Kokzhailau» on the territory which was taken out from the Ile-Alatau National Park. This news was immediately reported by several news agencies. In particular, A.Madiev stated: «We are looking for investors for this project. We are negotiating with the largest bank – the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Implementation of this project will greatly improve tourism potential of our city» (1).
Plans of development of the territory of the Ile-Alatau National Park have long been simmering in the heads of the city officials. These lands continue to be on the minds of our nouveaux riches. Sad consequences of intervention into the national park are already evident. Ruins and mansions in Butakovskoe Canyon; garbage dumps, riverbanks built up by cheap eateries, tourist trails blocked by tenants in the Big Almaty Canyon; ruins, numerous outbuildings, and turned into dust lakeshore in the Issyk Canyon; built-up valley of the river and numerous livestock herds in the Kaskelen Canyon; completely destroyed vegetation on the slopes of Chimbulak, sale of houses and land practically in all branches of the national park. And, finally, afternoon smog covering Medeo, Chimbulak, Big Almaty Lake, and glaciers of Zailiysky Alatau.
Realization that the construction of another ski resort will lead to irreversible significant deterioration of the ecological situation in the city of Almaty and its vicinities will harm the integrity of the ecological systems of the Ile-Alatau State National Natural Park (SNNP), has caused public protests against this construction. The Kok-Zhailyau landmark was part of the Ile-Alatau SNNP and is currently surrounded by the lands of the national park. Unreasonable transfer of the Kok-Zhailyau area from the category of lands of specially protected natural territories to the category of lands of reserve has already led to a serious deterioration of the ecological situation in the area and in the adjacent territories of the national park.
After the statement of the Deputy Mayor of the city A.Madiyev at the International Investment Forum, the public appealed to the director of the regional office of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Kazakhstan.
In particular, the letter of the Ecological Society Green Salvation says that the public of Almaty has been against implementation of this project for 7 years! But the representatives of the Mayor’s Office and the project developers do not take into account the opinion of scientists, public, distinguished experts who are trying to stop the ecological catastrophe.
«Construction of the new ski resort «Kokzhailau» contradicts both the requirements of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the norms of international conventions!
Since 1994, the Republic of Kazakhstan has been a party to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. In 2002, the Government included the Ile-Alatau SNNP in the tentative list of sites in the Republic of Kazakhstan, which are planned to be nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In 1994, the Republic of Kazakhstan signed the Convention on Biological Diversity and made commitments to implement it. Construction of the new ski resort «Kokzhailau» and a connecting road created a threat of massive destruction of Red Book plants and their habitat, which is prohibited by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In addition, construction would violate the basic requirements of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
On June 19, 2017, the Compliance Committee of the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) recognized that when a decision was made to build the ski resort «Kokzhailau», a number of requirements of the Convention were violated (2).
We would like to draw your attention to the fact that 16,064 people signed the Petition to the President, Parliament, and authorized bodies. These are Almaty residents, residents of different cities and towns in Kazakhstan, and citizens of other countries of the world who know and love our country. The public protest is supported by the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union – NABU, one of the largest and most respectable environmental organizations.
The full list of signees (16,064 people) can be found on the website of the Ecological Society Green Salvation: http://esgrs.org/?page_id=7239.
In this regard, please, let us know whether the Mayor’s Office of Almaty city is negotiating with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development about financial support for the construction of the ski resort «Kokzhailau»?
Considering the extremely negative environmental consequences of the resort construction;
- taking into account that the norms of the national legislation, the requirements of the Aarhus and other international conventions were violated during the planning stage of the project;
- based on the principles of the Environmental and Social Policy of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development of 2014 (3), which specify that «the EBRD will not knowingly finance, directly or indirectly, projects involving the following: …activities prohibited by host country legislation or international conventions relating to the protection of biodiversity resources or cultural heritage»;
- we call on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to refrain from financially supporting the construction of the ski resort «Kokzhailau».
A similar letter was sent to the bank by representatives of other environmental organizations, in particular: Crude Accountability and Ecoforum of NGOs of Kazakhstan.
In other words, the question is not simply about another resort, but about whether the Kok-Zhailau landmark will live with its magnificent meadows, forests, streams, clear air, birds and animals, or will it turn into another paved site of ersatz-nature.
We appeal to everyone for whom the human right to live in an environment that is favourable to their life and well-being is not an empty phrase!
Support the public appeal! Send a letter to the director of the regional office of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Kazakhstan. A sample letter is attached below. The letter can be sent by e-mail. You can supplement it with your own arguments. Take Action!
A sample of the letter.
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To Country Head at the European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development in Kazakhstan.
Dr Agris Preimanis
41 Kazybek Bi street, Park Palace Business Centre, 3rd Entrance, 3rd floor,
050010, Almaty,
Tel: +7 727-332-00-00,
Fax: +7 727-258-14-22.
E-mail:
preimana@ebrd.com,
namazbaa@ebrd.com,
ramazany@ebrd.com,
environmentandsocial@ebrd.com
Dear Mr. Preimanis!
On October 5, at the Almaty Invest Forum, the Deputy Mayor of Almaty, Almas Madiyev, said that the Mayor’s Office of Almaty is negotiating with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development regarding financial support for construction of the ski resort «Kokzhailau».
We would like to draw your attention to the fact that for the past 7 years the public of Almaty has been against implementation of this project!
According to the feasibility study of the project, the resort proposed on the territory of the Ile-Alatau National Natural Park (SNNP) and in the park protection zone will include construction of over 50 km of ski tracks, passenger cable roads, hotels, restaurants and other facilities; construction of infrastructure facilities – roads, parking lots, gas, electricity and water supply facilities!
The public has been opposed to this construction for 7 years because it will lead to irreversible significant deterioration of the ecological situation in Almaty city and its vicinities will harm the integrity of the ecological systems of the Ile-Alatau SNNP. The Kok-Zhailyau landmark was part of the Ile-Alatau SNNP and is currently surrounded by lands of the national park. Unreasonable transfer of the Kok-Zhailyau landmark from the category of lands of specially protected natural territories to the category of lands of reserve has already led to a serious deterioration of the ecological situation in the area and in the adjacent territories of the national park.
Since 1994, the Republic of Kazakhstan has been a party to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. In 2002, the Government included the Ile-Alatau SNNP in the tentative list of sites in the Republic of Kazakhstan, which are planned to be nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In 1994, the Republic of Kazakhstan signed the Convention on Biological Diversity and made commitments to implement it. Construction of the new ski resort «Kokzhailau» and a connecting road created a threat of massive destruction of Red Book plants and their habitat, which is prohibited by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In addition, construction would violate the basic requirements of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
On June 19, 2017, the Compliance Committee of the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) recognized that when a decision was made to build the ski resort «Kokzhailau», a number of requirements of the Convention were violated. In September, this decision was approved at the 6th Meeting of the Parties of the Aarhus Convention in Budva, Montenegro.
Thus, construction of the new ski resort «Kokzhailau» contradicts both the requirements of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the norms of international conventions!
For more than 7 years, representatives of the Mayor’s Office and the project developers do not take into account the opinion of scientists, public, distinguished experts who are trying to stop the ecological catastrophe.
We would like to draw your attention to the fact that 16,064 people signed the Petition to the President, Parliament, and authorized bodies. These are Almaty residents, residents of different cities and towns in Kazakhstan, and citizens of other countries of the world who know and love our country. The public protest is supported by the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union – NABU, one of the largest and most respectable environmental organizations.
In this regard, please, let us know whether the Mayor’s Office of Almaty city is negotiating with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development about financial support for the construction of the ski resort «Kokzhailau»?
Considering the extremely negative environmental consequences of the resort construction;
- taking into account that the norms of the national legislation, the requirements of the Aarhus and other international conventions were violated during the planning stage of the project;
- based on the principles of the Environmental and Social Policy of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development of 2014, which specify that «the EBRD will not knowingly finance, directly or indirectly, projects involving the following: …activities prohibited by host country legislation or international conventions relating to the protection of biodiversity resources or cultural heritage»;
- we call on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to refrain from financially supporting the construction of the ski resort «Kokzhailau».
Signature.
Date.
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1. Construction of a Ski Resort «Kokzhailau» in Almaty Could Be Financed by a Large Bank: https://tengrinews.kz/kazakhstan_news/stroitelstvo-gornolyijnogo-kurorta-kok-jaylau-almatyi-327963/;
Officials Think That Construction of a Ski Resort «Kokzhailau» in Almaty Will Be an Anchor Project:
https://zonakz.net/2017/10/05/stroitelstvo-gornolyzhnogo-kurorta-kok-zhajlyau-v-almaty-vlasti-schitayut-yakornym-proektom/;
Akimat of Almaty Did Not Refuse the Plans of Construction of a Ski Resort «Kokzhailau»:
http://www.zakon.kz/4881693-akimat-almaty-ne-otkazalsya-ot-planov.html.
2. Findings and recommendations with regard to communication ACCC/C/2013/88 concerning compliance by Kazakhstan. Adopted by the Compliance Committee on 19 June 2017: (http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/pp/compliance/CC-58/ece.mp.pp.c.1.2017.12__aec.pdf).
3. Environmental and Social Policy. EBRD – 2014: http://www.ebrd.com/what-we-do/strategies-and-policies/approval-of-new-governance-policies.html