The protection of biodiversity is one of the important tasks of the Company, which is paid attention to at every stage, from planning and construction to the operation of railway facilities.
Environmental impact assessment is mandatory for any type of economic or other activity that may have a direct or indirect impact on the environment and public health. Effective tools, including social and environmental risk analysis, are used to analyze the risks of project implementation.
The results of the environmental impact assessment are taken into account, and the option that causes the least harm to the environment and human health is selected.
Identification and assessment of project risks are carried out on an ongoing basis at all stages of project implementation. The impact on atmospheric air, surface and groundwater, landscapes, land resources and soil cover, biodiversity and other factors is assessed.
Special attention is paid to the preservation of the natural unchanging landscapes in the area, the impact on the geographical distribution of species and groups of animals, as well as their numbers. All types of vegetation cover of steppe and forest-steppe zones, all types of animals (mammals, insectivores, hares, rodents, predatory, artiodactyls and others) living in this area and their migrations are studied.
Without a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the environmental impact and without a state environmental assessment, access to the project of the planned activity is not carried out.
The assessment of biodiversity risks is carried out as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment of the planned activity (hereinafter referred to as the EIA).
EIA is a process in which the potential effects of economic and other activities on the environment and human health are analyzed. Special attention is paid to biodiversity.
During this process, measures are being developed to prevent negative consequences such as destruction, degradation, damage and depletion of natural ecosystems and natural resources. These measures are also aimed at improving the environment, taking into account environmental standards and legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The EIA process includes the following main steps:
Stage 1: Assessment of the territory (review of the state of the environment), carried out in order to determine the optimal location of the object.
Stage 2: Preliminary environmental impact assessment accompanying the investment justification (feasibility studies of projects).
Stage 3: Impact assessment, carried out in order to conduct a complete and comprehensive analysis of the potential effects of the project or further economic and other activities. At this stage, alternative options are being considered and an environmental management plan (program) is being developed.
Stage 4: The section "Environmental protection" as part of the working draft, which includes technical solutions to prevent negative impacts on the environment, including biodiversity.
Stage 5: Post-project analysis, carried out one year after the start of economic and other activities, in order to confirm the safety of the facility for the environment and adjust nature protection measures.
These stages together provide a systematic and integrated approach to environmental impact assessment and management, taking into account the importance of biodiversity conservation in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
When conducting an environmental impact assessment, attention is paid to the analysis of the impact and the location of the source on the following objects is taken into account, including their relationship and interaction:
The results of the risk assessment and the measures taken to reduce them are taken into account in the draft EIA.
Environmental impact assessment is carried out in strict accordance with the instructional and methodological documents (Methodological guidelines for assessing the impact of economic activity on the environment) approved by the authorized body for environmental protection.
Thus, the assessment of the impact of planned economic activities on bioresources (soil, vegetation, wildlife) within the framework of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) is carried out in accordance with the Methodological Recommendations for conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of planned economic activities on
Bioresources (soil, vegetation, wildlife) (Appendix 24 to the Order of the Minister of Environmental Protection dated November 29, 2010 No. 298).
The methodology is intended for use by developers of environmental impact assessment in order to comply with uniform methodological requirements, ensure that potential impacts on ecosystems are fully taken into account and measures to protect vegetation are implemented.
The assessment process uses a location-based approach, which allows taking into account the specific conditions and characteristics of the regions where the project is planned to be implemented.
In accordance with the methodology, the requirements for assessing the current state of vegetation and wildlife in the area of planned economic activity have been established and should cover:
background" sites conditionally selected as similar anthropogenic undisturbed territories.
The authorized body in the field of environmental protection, within its competence, monitors compliance with the requirements of instructional and methodological documents on Environmental Impact Assessment.
At the same time, in the process of carrying out economic activities, risk assessment, including biodiversity risks, is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Standard for Hazard Identification and Environmental Aspects, Risk Assessment and Management in JSC NC KTZ (approved by Order No. 614-FZ dated 09/01/2023).
The input data for the identification of environmental aspects are :
Thus, the scope of the biodiversity risk assessment includes an analysis of the impacts on biodiversity arising from our own operations and in the territories adjacent to our facilities where we operate.Результаты идентификации рисков и значимых аспектов по экологической безопасности оформляются в Реестры существенных рисков и значимых аспектов согласно утвержденной форме и включаются в корпоративную систему управления рисками Компании.
When identifying significant risks and significant environmental aspects, the structural divisions of the Company and its subsidiaries develop a set of risk management measures. These measures are aimed at transferring risks to a lower category or eliminating them in order to ensure safety and environmental sustainability.
The developed measures are implemented in the production activity plans of the divisions, their development is carried out in accordance with local acts and regulatory technical documents approved by the Company. To date, risks in the field of biodiversity have not been identified in the course of ongoing activities.