Poverty and Environment in Kazakhstan The case of Mangystau and Atyrau oblasts

1. Poverty and Environment in Kazakhstan The case of Mangystau and Atyrau oblasts

2. Basic facts Mangystau and Atyrau oblasts • 10% of KAZ territory, 5% of population  sparsely populated (2,2 ppl / sq.km in Mangystay, 4 ppl / sq.km in Atyrau) • Nearly half of population concentrated into provincial capitals (Aktau and Atyrau) • Outward migration until development of oil and gas sector • 85% rural poverty in Mangystau, 44% in Atyray oblast

3. Environmental challenges • Rise in sea level 1978-1996  flooded pasture, destroyed infrastructure, salinization • Loss of biodiversity • Overfishing, invasion of external species  drop in fishery output • Damage to water supply networks and interruption of service (in some cases regional networks crossing borders)  lower drinking water availability and quality • Industrial legacy • Pollution from oil and gas industry

5. Poverty / livelihood challenges • Environmental changes caused reduction in quality of life • Collapse of USSR reduced importance of some industries (collective farms and fisheries, uranium mining in Aktau) • Very little livelihood choices outside of the energy sector  5x drop in agricultural added value  cut living standards and increased poverty in rural areas

8. Urban vs. rural • Oil and gas sector  oil companies employing educated people from elsewhere  villagers speak Kazakh, business and specialized education in Russian • People not “equipped” to live in the cities  the only alternative livelihood is poaching (for those living along the coast) • Access to water  shortage of good quality freshwater  water available to app. 70-75% of pop. (mainly in urban centres)  in rural areas <50 l / day (below basic health and sanitation requirements) “A specific kind of poverty”