Kazakhstan’s government struggles with collecting fines for violating emission rules

According to Ecology Minister Yerlan Nyssanbayev, the government imposed around $719 million in fines for violation of emission rules on Kazakhstani businesses in 2023. However, the agency managed to collect only $25.2 million.

As the minister noted, the agency carried out 652 inspections on Kazakhstani enterprises and identified 1,600 violations.

«We imposed 2,100 administrative penalties for more than $719 million last year. So far, we have collected $25.2 million for 1,800 fines. Work on the remaining penalties is still in progress,» Nyssanbayev said during a cabinet meeting.

The minister also highlighted that last year, his agency managed to cut emission and waste rules by 3.3% and 8%, respectively.

In November 2023, the ministry imposed a $15.6 million fine on an Atyrau-based subsidiary of the Samruk Kazyna holding for CO2 emissions that exceeded the allowed level by 20 times.

In August 2023, the ministry fined Tengizchevroil $6.2 million for polluting the environment. At the time, prosecutors specialized in the protection of the environment in the Atyrau region said that the company violated emission rules.