Green economy discussed in Astana

    The international conference — Green Bridge - A Platform of Partnership for Advanced Practices and Innovations, has begun in Astana.
    Officials from ministries and heads of non-governmental associations of Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Russia, Germany, Finland, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Estonia take part in the event.
    Minister of Energy Vladimir Shkolnik opened the conference and read the welcome speech of Prime Minister Karim Massimov.
    "Dear participants and guests of the conference! In 2017, the international exhibition EXPO will open in Astana. Thus, Astana will become an effective platform for demonstration of the best innovations of the world and trends in the sphere of use of the solar energy, the energy of wind, biogas, sea and thermal water. The breakthrough projects in the sphere of production and consumption of traditional and alternative energy will be presented there.
    President Nazarbayev set a task on development of the green economy and using at least one half of alternative and renewable of the total consumed energy in the country by 2050. In order to consolidate the efforts at the global level, the Head of State proposed the program titled "Green bridge" at the 66^th session of the General Assembly of UN. The purpose of the program is management of the green economic growth through international cooperation and exchange of technologyand knowledge as well as financial support.
    At the national level Kazakhstan has already contributed to implementation of this program by adoption of the concept on transition to the green economy. We also initiated opening of the International Center for the Development of Green Technology and Investment Projects in Astana under auspices of the UN. I am confident that the dialogue platform of this conference will be an accelerator of constructive proposals on global priority innovations in the sphere of green economy. I wish the participants of the conference successful work, productive discussions, interesting ideas and initiatives," the welcome speech of the Prime Minister reads, according to Kazinform.