When I hear about cataclysms - the hurricane Sandy in the USA, which hit New York City, or storm, which destroyed trees around Almaty city - I think that today human development is impossible without considering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We should realize the importance of sustainable development, when our present activities don't have to diminish the prospects for future generations to enjoy a quality of life at least as good as our own. Environmental degradation and climate change are two huge challenges, which affect different aspects of our lives. This includes such issues as global warming, air pollution, loss of biodiversity, food crisis, deforestation and so on.
Kazakhstan as a part of global community also faces number of challenges which hinder moving society towards sustainability. The most pressing of them are: water and soil pollution, urbanization, environment related health problems, and degradation of fragile environment of alpine zone around Almaty and steppe around the country.