Institutional Adaptation of Public Administration Systems to Climate Challenges and Low-Carbon Development: the Experience of Central Asian Countries

Central Asia is increasingly affected by climate change, requiring public admin- istration systems to demonstrate not only adaptability but also strategic resilience. This article analyzes the institutional transformations in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan within the framework of low-carbon development objectives. The study identifies common reform trajectories including the strengthening of strategic planning, development of climate finance mechanisms, and digitalization of emissions monitoring systems. These include Kazakhstan’s market-oriented model, which oper- ates through an emissions trading system; Kyrgyzstan’s hybrid model, which combines market and administrative instruments; and Uzbekistan’s centralized model, which relies on public-private partnerships. Climate policy in other countries in the region is either focused on small-scale renewable energy projects (Turkmenistan) or is in the process of its formation (Tajikistan). Broad reform priorities include strengthening strategic planning, expanding climate finance, and digitalizing monitoring systems. The author proposes a model of institutional flexibility based on four levels of adapta- tion: normative (adopting strategies and formalizing commitments), organizational (creating agencies and maintaining reports), financial (opening funds and launching emission trading systems), and communicative (data transparency).

1. Country Program of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the Green Climate Fund for 2024–2027, 2024 // https://igtipc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GCF-country-program.pdf, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Russ.)

2. The Concept of Development of Climate Finance in the Kyrgyz Republic. Bishkek: United Nations Development Program // https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zsk-gke326/files/2024-11/rus_the_concept_of_the_development_of_climate_finance_in_the_kyrgyz_republic.pdf, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Russ.)

3. Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 621 of Novem- ber 14, 2022 «On the Establishment of the Green Energy Fund under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic» // https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/159619/edition/17517/ru, accessed 01.02.2026. (In Russ.)

4. Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 556 of Septem- ber 3, 2025 «On Amendments to Certain Decisions of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic» // https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/7-44774/edition/37677/ru, accessed 01.02.2026. (In Russ.)

5. Law of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 130 of July 1, 2025 «On Ratification of the Charter of the Clean Energy Centre Adopted at the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (15 November 2024, Baku, Azerbaijan)» // https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/230029418/edition/34682/ru, accessed 01.02.2026. (In Russ.)

6. Program for the Development of the Green Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic until 2029 // https://mineconom.gov.kg/froala/uploads/file/82754e3d5ca923e96f6f39d5065c6cde1b318ce8.pdf, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Russ.)

7. Strategy for Achieving Carbon Neutrality of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2060, 2023 // https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/U2300000121, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Russ.)

8. Strategy for the Green Economy of the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030, 2019 // https://lex.uz/docs/4539506, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Russ.)

9. Carbon Pricing in Emerging Economies: Kazakhstan Case Study, 2023. OECD. DOI: 10.1787/0cdbd6d6-en. // https://www.oecd.org/environment/carbon-pricing-in-emerging-economies-kazakhstan-case.htm, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Eng.)

10. Climate Finance in Central Asia, 2018. The World Bank/CAREC // https://zoinet.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Climate-Finance-Central-Asia-EN.pdf, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Eng.)

11. Green Economy Transition in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, 2022. Paris: OECD Publishing // https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2022/10/green-economy-transition-in-eastern-europe-the-caucasus-and-central-asia_1833cc0d/c410b82a-en.pdf, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Eng.)

12. Green Economy Transition in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. 2022. OECD // https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2022/10/green-economy-transition-in-eastern-europe-the-caucasus-and-central-asia_1833cc0d/c410b82a-en.pdf, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Eng.)

13. Green Hydrogen for Industrial decarbonization: Central Asia and the South Cauca- sus, 2025. IRENA // https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2025/May/IRENA_TEC_GH2_industry_Central_Asia_South_Caucasus_2025. pdf, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Eng.)

14. Opportunities for Implementing Carbon Pricing Systems in Central Asia and Azer- baijan, 2025. Eurasian Development Bank // https://eabr.org/upload/iblock/de1/EABR-kh-Institut-TSARES_2025_Tarifikatsiya-ugleroda.pdf, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Russ.)

15. Renewable Energy Investment Ecosystem in Central Asia, 2025. CAREC Institute, IsDB, ICDT // https://www.carecinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Renewable-Energy-Investment-Ecosystem-in-Central-Asia.pdf, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Eng.)

16. State of Sustainable Finance in Central Asia, 2024. AIFC/GIP // https://aifc.kz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1.3-ca-to-publish-eng_compressed.pdf, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Eng.)

17. Scaling Up Renewable Energy in Uzbekistan, 2024. World Bank Group // https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099100424105533434/pdf/BOSIB-bf67304e-4f11-47ae-b40d-5eec36f6d9dd.pdf, accessed 11.11.2025. (In Eng.)