‍Central Asia and The Caucasus Journal

Abstract The relative improvement of the living conditions in Kazakhstan's ecosystem over the past two decades has mostly been the result of institutional and legal development of the country in protecting the environment. This paper is to assess the environmental governance of Kazakhstan from the perspective of the legislative process and legal developments and its impact on environmental security in this country over the past three decades. Accordingly, the main question is: "What are the environmental security consequences of the developments in the legal aspects of environmental governance in Kazakhstan since independence?" The hypothesis tested in this paper is: “due to the gradual development of stricter laws for environmental protection, the creation of an integrated management structure for environmental protection, applying the experiences of other countries in the field of environmental management, as well as promoting international environmental cooperation, legal developments in the environmental governance of Kazakhstan since independence have led to a relative improvement in environmental security”. This paper is descriptive-analytical and the conceptual framework governing it consists of definitions and theoretical propositions of the concept of environmental security. While confirming the hypothesis, the findings show that Kazakhstan's new set of environmental laws may lead to improving its environmental performance in the coming years in case of efficient implementation through integrating laws in various environmental areas and making environmental laws compatible with the real conditions prevailing at local, national and international levels.

Abstract Global warming has proposed some opportunities for Russian; on the other hand, it has had threats for this country. Therefore, Russia has neither intended to constantly deny the impact of climate change on the environment and the role mankind has played in it, nor has it taken a stance at the forefront of the global fight against climate change. The main purpose of this paper is to identify the dimensions and main features of Russia's smart climate policies and to discover the reasons why Russian Federation has adopted such an approach. Therefore, the author tries to find an answer for the following question: "What are the main features and main driving forces of Russia's Smart Climate Policies?" This study, developed within the framework of the conceptual smart climate policies, has utilized a descriptive-analytical methodology and library resources to collect and analyze the appropriate date to resolve the issue at hand. Findings of this study has revealed that the main feature of Russia's smart climate policies has been exerting efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, at the same time, getting along with the climate change phenomenon to reap its benefits. Improving energy efficiency, preparing the ground for utilizing renewable energy resources, protecting the country's assets in the Arctic, reducing the number and sequence of natural disasters and maintaining seasonal balance, are among the main motivations laying the foundation for Russia’s greenhouse gases reduction efforts. Russia's main policy stimulus in coping with climate change, traces back to the role of global warming in facilitating access to natural resources in the Arctic, launching new shipping lanes in this region, reducing heating costs for the population living in the cold regions of northern Russia and expanding arable lands in these areas.

Abstract With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the centralized and highly complex mechanism for water resourced allocation in Central Asia turned into a complex cross-border water management problem and left unresolved bilateral claims. Under such a situation, transboundary rivers caused national and regional instability and created a new source of conflict between coastal governments by abandoning regional integration in Central Asia. In addition to natural and historical reasons, the tie between water and energy issues, climate change, population growth and its disparate distribution in Central Asia has exacerbated the security challenges of the water issues in the region. Accordingly, the main question of the present paper is that "On what principles the management of transboundary rivers in Central Asia has been based since the Republic’s independence and how it has affected the security of this region?" The findings of the research, which are descriptive-analytical using documentary and transactional methodology, show that "the principles ruling management of transboundary rivers in Central Asia during the past quarter century have been based on competition, self-orientation and separate national interests of the Republics in Central Asia which have led to local and national conflicts and can be studied as an indirect or complementary source of security instability in Central Asia.”

Abstract Azerbaijan´s water challenges and threats, highlights the necessity of paying attention to water management. The present article addresses the following question: what are the serious obstacles for the implementation of water management in the Republic of Azerbaijan? This question is formulated against the backdrop of the following given: water crisis in republic of Azerbaijan is rooted in the shortage of economic water rather than tangible water. The hypothesis is that reemphasis on the role of government, lack of attention to the system of water co-management, lack of integrated management of water resources based on watershed divisions as well as inappropriate water infrastructures are the four main obstacles. In order to compensate the existing shortcomings, the Republic of Azerbaijan has chosen the approach of partnership with international institutions especially European Union, and is less dependent on its own scholars and scientific researches. Using explanatory – analytical research method and documentary methodology, the authors try to tell why the research findings provide an answer to the research question.