Katherina Reiche, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry, Federal Economics Minister Dr Philipp Rösler and Industry Minister Aset Issekeshev of Kazakhstan signed a joint declaration on the strengthening of cooperation in the field of energy efficiency on 8 February 2012. The declaration was signed during the state visit of President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan in Berlin.
After the signing ceremony, State Secretary Reiche declared that the Environment Ministry was willing to support Kazakhstan with joint projects to make its economy more climate friendly and energy efficient. Project related cooperation in the environment and climate protection field has been gradually stepped up over the past few years. The Federal Environment Ministry supports Kazakhstan in the development of a national emissions trading system and gives detailed advice on energy efficiency and incentive tools to advance energy efficiency investments.
The political objective was personally determined by the President of Kazakhstan. He foresees a leading role for Kazakhstan in the region in the development of a green growth economy and as part of this development the country will swiftly advance its energy efficiency and expand renewable energies. Kazakhstan is particularly interested in German knowledge on legal, administrative and economic framework conditions and German environmental technology know-how.