Kazakhstan’s Infrastructure Programs and Urban Sustainability Analysis of Astana

Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital city since 1997, gained from substantial public investment, achieving relatively low poverty, high income, and broad access to social services. Implementation of the state infrastructure programs, which were aligned with China’s 2013 Belt and Road Initiative, allowed Ast...

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Main Authors: Zauresh Atakhanova, Marzhan Baigaliyeva
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Urban Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/4/100
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author Zauresh Atakhanova
Marzhan Baigaliyeva
author_facet Zauresh Atakhanova
Marzhan Baigaliyeva
author_sort Zauresh Atakhanova
collection DOAJ
description Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital city since 1997, gained from substantial public investment, achieving relatively low poverty, high income, and broad access to social services. Implementation of the state infrastructure programs, which were aligned with China’s 2013 Belt and Road Initiative, allowed Astana to become a transport hub, attract people, and improve housing conditions. However, our analysis indicates that Astana’s construction boom resulted in intensive use of financial and natural resources. Moreover, the loss of green and blue lands, accelerated during the implementation of the state infrastructure programs, raises concerns about the environmental impacts of infrastructure spending. As a result, our study highlights the importance of further research and broader stakeholder engagement for bringing Astana’s development path into closer alignment with the principles of sustainability. Specifically, Astana’s stakeholders should adhere to best practices of urban ecosystem preservation, managing sprawl, and efficient use of resources. Finally, integrating green and blue infrastructure in setting targets, allocating funding, and monitoring, improving, and reporting on traditional infrastructure initiatives becomes increasingly important for sustainable urban development.
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spelling doaj-art-671dc324ad0a49afa29d1dc8e14498cb2025-08-20T02:25:07ZengMDPI AGUrban Science2413-88512025-03-019410010.3390/urbansci9040100Kazakhstan’s Infrastructure Programs and Urban Sustainability Analysis of AstanaZauresh Atakhanova0Marzhan Baigaliyeva1School of Mining and Geosciences, Nazarbayev University, Astana 010000, KazakhstanSchool of Mining and Geosciences, Nazarbayev University, Astana 010000, KazakhstanAstana, Kazakhstan’s capital city since 1997, gained from substantial public investment, achieving relatively low poverty, high income, and broad access to social services. Implementation of the state infrastructure programs, which were aligned with China’s 2013 Belt and Road Initiative, allowed Astana to become a transport hub, attract people, and improve housing conditions. However, our analysis indicates that Astana’s construction boom resulted in intensive use of financial and natural resources. Moreover, the loss of green and blue lands, accelerated during the implementation of the state infrastructure programs, raises concerns about the environmental impacts of infrastructure spending. As a result, our study highlights the importance of further research and broader stakeholder engagement for bringing Astana’s development path into closer alignment with the principles of sustainability. Specifically, Astana’s stakeholders should adhere to best practices of urban ecosystem preservation, managing sprawl, and efficient use of resources. Finally, integrating green and blue infrastructure in setting targets, allocating funding, and monitoring, improving, and reporting on traditional infrastructure initiatives becomes increasingly important for sustainable urban development.https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/4/100resource intensityurban sprawlremote sensingLULCBRI
spellingShingle Zauresh Atakhanova
Marzhan Baigaliyeva
Kazakhstan’s Infrastructure Programs and Urban Sustainability Analysis of Astana
Urban Science
resource intensity
urban sprawl
remote sensing
LULC
BRI
title Kazakhstan’s Infrastructure Programs and Urban Sustainability Analysis of Astana
title_full Kazakhstan’s Infrastructure Programs and Urban Sustainability Analysis of Astana
title_fullStr Kazakhstan’s Infrastructure Programs and Urban Sustainability Analysis of Astana
title_full_unstemmed Kazakhstan’s Infrastructure Programs and Urban Sustainability Analysis of Astana
title_short Kazakhstan’s Infrastructure Programs and Urban Sustainability Analysis of Astana
title_sort kazakhstan s infrastructure programs and urban sustainability analysis of astana
topic resource intensity
urban sprawl
remote sensing
LULC
BRI
url https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/4/100
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AT marzhanbaigaliyeva kazakhstansinfrastructureprogramsandurbansustainabilityanalysisofastana