Description:

In Kazakhstan, as in many other nations around our planet, more and more citizens are choosing to live in cities, as they often offer more diverse services and greater opportunity for personal development and economic advancement than rural areas do.

At the same time, the shift to cities creates mounting challenges of pollution, congestion, threats to public health, overburdened infrastructure and public services, and so on. Based on both quantitative and qualitative data, the 2019 National Report on Human Development in the Republic of Kazakhstan shows that, with good governance and sound design, urbanization can help secure social welfare and equity, mitigate environmental impact, and support economic growth. The report concludes with policy recommendations for sustainable urban development, covering 12 strategic directions.