Dr. Jessica Neafie, a researcher at NURCE and Assistant Professor of Political Science, was recently featured in The Astana Times for her contributions to a roundtable on Kazakhstan’s energy transition, held at Nazarbayev University. The article highlights Dr. Neafie’s research at the intersection of expert opinion and sustainable policy implementation, shedding light on the nuanced gap between Kazakhstan’s national climate ambitions—such as achieving carbon neutrality by 2060—and the concerns of local stakeholders.
“As far as some of Kazakhstan’s goals, especially in increasing renewables, Kazakhstan has actually been rather successful, introducing new renewables to the energy grid. However, there are still a lot of issues, such as Kazakhstan needing to deal with a grid that is no longer up to modern standards. They need to modernize it,” said Neafie.
“As far as some of Kazakhstan’s goals, especially in increasing renewables, Kazakhstan has actually been rather successful, introducing new renewables to the energy grid. However, there are still a lot of issues, such as Kazakhstan needing to deal with a grid that is no longer up to modern standards. They need to modernize it,” said Neafie.
Her research was presented during a roundtable organized by the Institute of Public Policy and Administration of the University of Central Asia and the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Nazarbayev University, held on April 24 in Astana. The event served as a vital platform for aligning high-level climate goals with practical, actionable strategies on the ground.
The roundtable focused on the importance of decentralizing energy governance and integrating community-led solutions—particularly in regions facing the decline of fossil fuel industries and environmental degradation. Dr. Neafie’s work emphasizes the critical need for inclusive dialogue between government, civil society, and local entrepreneurs to ensure a just energy transition that reflects the voices of all stakeholders—not just those in positions of power.
The roundtable focused on the importance of decentralizing energy governance and integrating community-led solutions—particularly in regions facing the decline of fossil fuel industries and environmental degradation. Dr. Neafie’s work emphasizes the critical need for inclusive dialogue between government, civil society, and local entrepreneurs to ensure a just energy transition that reflects the voices of all stakeholders—not just those in positions of power.
