Doha, August 24 (QNA) - The Global Carbon Council and the Qazaq VCM Alliance, a national platform advancing the development of Kazakhstan's voluntary carbon market ecosystem, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support the development of a high-integrity voluntary carbon market ecosystem in Kazakhstan and strengthen the country's readiness for international carbon market cooperation.

The partnership brings together Global Carbon Council's experience in international carbon standards, digital carbon market infrastructure and Article 6 implementation with the Qazaq VCM Alliance's role in supporting the development of Kazakhstan's voluntary carbon market ecosystem.

Under the MoU, the parties will explore cooperation in capacity building, carbon market registry infrastructure, methodology development and policy frameworks related to Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement.

A key area of cooperation will be the potential adoption of Global Carbon Council's Carbon Market Infrastructure (CMI) and Interoperable National Registry Solution in Kazakhstan to support the operationalization of Article 6.2. The parties will also engage with Kazakhstan's Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources to identify potential Article 6.2 activities, with an initial focus on renewable energy projects.

Speaking on the agreement, Founding Chairman of the Global Carbon Council, Dr. Yousef M. Alhorr said: "Kazakhstan has demonstrated strong ambition in advancing its low-carbon transition, and credible carbon market infrastructure can play an important role in translating this ambition into implementation. Through our cooperation with the Qazaq VCM Alliance, Global Carbon Council looks forward to supporting the development of a transparent and internationally connected carbon market ecosystem, while strengthening capacity for voluntary and Article 6.2 carbon market implementation and help Kazakhstan receive more carbon finance to achieve its NDC objectives."

For his part, Acting Chairman of the Qazaq VCM Alliance, Alim Sailybaev said: "For Kazakhstan, the priority is to build a voluntary carbon market that is practical, trusted and responsive to the needs of local stakeholders. This partnership will help strengthen technical capacity, support the development of registry and digital market infrastructure, and create clearer pathways for high-integrity projects to participate in both domestic and international carbon markets, while reinforcing Kazakhstan's broader climate and sustainable development objectives."

Under the MoU, Global Carbon Council will also support capacity-building workshops and training covering Global Carbon Council standards, regulatory requirements, project development cycles, registration and issuance processes, registry infrastructure and methodology development. The parties will further explore the development, operational management and administration of voluntary carbon market registry infrastructure and associated digital platforms in Kazakhstan.

The cooperation comes at an important stage in Kazakhstan's carbon market and climate transition. The country has operated a national emissions trading system since 2013 and has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, alongside a long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. (QNA)