The Save the Caspian Sea (SCS) campaign is calling for the release of crucial environmental information contained in the PSAs for Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak and Kashagan oil fields, as well as the concession agreement for the Tengiz oil field. In a letter sent to the Kazakhstan government earlier this month, Vadim Ni, the founder of SCS, specifically requested the disclosure of environmental provisions and any relevant environmental data in these agreements that are not classified under international law. This was reiterated by President Tokayev this week, as he ordered the government to accelerate negotiations to revise Kazakhstan’s production sharing agreements (PSAs) and secure better terms for the country.
The request is based on the Aarhus Convention, an international treaty that gives the public the right to access environmental information. The SCS campaign believes that, even though these agreements are considered confidential, they likely contain valuable details on environmental protection that should be made available to the public given the ongoing environmental crisis the Caspian Sea is facing.
This issue has become a matter of public interest in recent years. In 2023, the Chairman of the Ak Zhol DPK faction in Kazakhstan’s Parliament, A.T. Peruashev, filed a request with the Constitutional Court asking for these agreements to be made public. However, the court rejected the appeal, stating that it was not within their jurisdiction.
Public pressure for transparency continued in 2024. A petition led by the Baitak political party and the Coordination Council of the Association of Legal Entities Alliance of Entrepreneurs Parasat called on the Ministry of Energy to disclose the terms of the PSAs for the oil fields in question. While the petition gathered significant support and was submitted in December 2024, there has yet to be any response from the Ministry.
The continued secrecy surrounding these agreements is concerning, especially as it relates to the environmental impact of these major oil and gas projects. The Save the Caspian Sea campaign is now urging authorities to release the requested information in accordance with the Aarhus Convention, which guarantees the public’s right to access environmental information. This would ensure transparency, help protect natural resources and support better decision-making about the long-term environmental effects of oil and gas operations in western Kazakhstan.
The request is based on the Aarhus Convention, an international treaty that gives the public the right to access environmental information. The SCS campaign believes that, even though these agreements are considered confidential, they likely contain valuable details on environmental protection that should be made available to the public given the ongoing environmental crisis the Caspian Sea is facing.
This issue has become a matter of public interest in recent years. In 2023, the Chairman of the Ak Zhol DPK faction in Kazakhstan’s Parliament, A.T. Peruashev, filed a request with the Constitutional Court asking for these agreements to be made public. However, the court rejected the appeal, stating that it was not within their jurisdiction.
Public pressure for transparency continued in 2024. A petition led by the Baitak political party and the Coordination Council of the Association of Legal Entities Alliance of Entrepreneurs Parasat called on the Ministry of Energy to disclose the terms of the PSAs for the oil fields in question. While the petition gathered significant support and was submitted in December 2024, there has yet to be any response from the Ministry.
The continued secrecy surrounding these agreements is concerning, especially as it relates to the environmental impact of these major oil and gas projects. The Save the Caspian Sea campaign is now urging authorities to release the requested information in accordance with the Aarhus Convention, which guarantees the public’s right to access environmental information. This would ensure transparency, help protect natural resources and support better decision-making about the long-term environmental effects of oil and gas operations in western Kazakhstan.
