Almaty has been experiencing persistently high levels of air pollution over the past decade. According to monitoring data, in nine out of ten years between 2015 and 2024, the city's air quality was classified as high for pollution.
The city’s location contributes to the issue. Almaty lies in a low-lying valley at the base of the Ile Alatau mountain range, where natural air circulation is limited. Winds from the mountains and valleys tend to trap pollutants, especially in the northern areas of the city. Unregulated large-scale urban development over the past 20 years has worsened the situation, with thick smog covering the city for over six months each year.
The main sources of air pollution in Almaty include emissions from vehicles, coal and wood burning in suburban homes, and thermal power plants. Vehicle exhaust releases harmful substances such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide. Private houses that rely on stoves for heating contribute significantly to the emission of particulate matter and gases. Although parts of the city have access to natural gas, the three main thermal power plants - TPP-1, TPP-2 and TPP-3 - still play a major role in pollution levels.
Kazhydromet, the state agency responsible for weather and climate monitoring, recorded an Air Pollution Index (API) of 7 to 8, considered high, between 2015 and 2016 and again from 2018 to 2021. In 2017, the API was slightly lower, at 5 to 6, indicating elevated levels. In 2022 and 2024, the Standard Index also showed a high level, while in 2023 the pollution was classified as very high. In 2024, there were 31,960 cases of pollutant concentrations exceeding the legal limit. These included nitrogen and carbon oxides, ozone, sulphur and nitrogen dioxides, as well as PM2.5 and PM10 particles.
Experts say that addressing the issue will require a comprehensive approach. Proposed measures include upgrading transport infrastructure, shifting to cleaner fuels, tightening emission controls at power plants and expanding gas access in suburban areas. Regular monitoring and public reporting on air quality are also seen as essential to reduce health risks.
Air pollution in Almaty is not only an environmental issue but also a social one, affecting the quality of life for millions of people. In 2025, new technologies and stricter environmental regulations are expected to be introduced in an effort to improve the situation.
Armenia heads to the polls on 7 June in a key parliamentary vote seen as a test of its democratic reforms and political direction since 2018. Prime Mi...
The U.S. plans to seek the redirection of Iranian assets to Gulf states to help fund reconstruction and repairs for damage attributed to Iran, a sourc...
For about three decades after the Soviet collapse, Armenia anchored its foreign and security policy to Moscow. ...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 7 June, covering the latest developments you need to know....
The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with around 600 mothers dying for every 1...
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al‑Zaidi will pay an official visit to the United States, bringing with him a delegation of business leaders, private‑sector representatives and banking officials, in an effort to boost investment and deepen economic ties with Washington.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, newly independent Armenia emerged with the promise of democracy. But in the years that followed, conflicts and political assassinations sidetracked politics in the country, until a 2018 revolution restored momentum to the promise.
For decades, the factory taught the battlefield. Ukraine is now reversing the lesson.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
More than 6,000 people gathered outside a vote-counting centre in Seoul on Friday night, demanding this week’s local elections be repeated after ballot shortages left some voters unable to cast their ballots.
Five Azerbaijani crew members were killed, and three others were injured after two cargo vessels were hit in a drone attack in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday, as Russia blamed Ukraine for the strike.
The U.S. said it struck Iranian radar sites on Qeshm Island and in Goruk after intercepting four drones, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they launches retaliatory strikes on four tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. bases in the Gulf.
The new AnewZ documentary, TARGET: Yerevan, builds its explosive case on exclusive, secret recordings originally published by Minval Politika.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 7 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al‑Zaidi will pay an official visit to the United States, bringing with him a delegation of business leaders, private‑sector representatives and banking officials, in an effort to boost investment and deepen economic ties with Washington.
People across Gaza are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with millions struggling to access food, clean water, shelter and medical care as the conflict continues.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said Russian forces attacked two civilian search and rescue vessels operating in Ukrainian waters on Saturday, leaving several people injured.
The United States has approved the possible sale of five Seahawk maritime helicopters to New Zealand in a deal valued at $1.5 billion, as Wellington moves to strengthen its armed forces.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment