Climate conditions could significantly influence migration patterns in Central Asia in the coming decades, according to Anna Alshanskaya, Head of the Economic Policy Analysis Department at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS), who spoke at a roundtable in Astana.

Alshanskaya noted that amid ongoing labour shortages across Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan is gradually strengthening its position as one of the region’s key centres of attraction, The Caspian Post reports, citing Qazinform.

She pointed out an increasing inflow of citizens from neighbouring Central Asian states, making these observations during a roundtable discussion dedicated to explaining a presidential decree on improving Kazakhstan’s migration policy.

She further emphasized that, alongside labour market dynamics, climate change is likely to become an important driver of migration processes in Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asian region.

According to her, this could lead to the emergence of climate migrants-people forced to leave their homes due to environmental and climate-related changes.

The expert highlighted that climate is becoming an increasingly significant factor in shaping migration trends. She also noted that, according to expert projections, Kazakhstan is expected to experience warming at a faster rate than the global average, which may in turn influence the redistribution of migration flows within the region.

Referring to World Bank data, Alshanskaya stated that by 2050, Central Asia could face up to two million climate migrants. In light of these projections, she stressed the importance of accounting for current and emerging trends in migration, economic, and demographic policymaking.

She concluded that Kazakhstan should adopt a proactive approach and position itself as a regional hub of opportunity, both for its own citizens and for labour migrants from neighbouring countries.