WATER SECURITY OF THE KAZAKHSTAN-RUSSIA BORDER RIVER BASINS: KAZAKHSTAN'S PERSPECTIVE

Introduction. The article analyzes water security issues in river basins of the Kazakhstan- Russia border region, as well as transboundary cooperation in this area. These issues are analyzed from a Kazakhstani perspective, which has distinct characteristics compared to the Russian perspective but cannot be considered without taking the latter into account. Methods and materials. The study is based on the concept of water security. For the first time, the northern water basins of Kazakhstan with their transboundary rivers are viewed through the lens of this concept as a single entity with common problems, many of which require solutions at the international level. The study also relies on an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Kazakhstan-Russia agreements on transboundary river issues, as well as a quantitative analysis of water levels, pollution, and other characteristics of the relevant water basins. Data obtained from Kazakhstani state institutions, particularly from the state enterprise "Kazhydromet," are analyzed. Using this data and the ArcGIS program, maps of Kazakhstan's hydrographic basins were compiled. Analysis. The key security issues of the northern Kazakhstani transboundary water basins, including water scarcity, floods, pollution, and the degradation of biodiversity in coastal areas, are examined. Additionally, the effectiveness of Kazakhstan-Russia cross-border cooperation in addressing these issues is evaluated. Results. In the long term, water scarcity is the most serious challenge to water security, but natural disasters also require serious attention and more effective transboundary cooperation. It would be unjustified to place the primary responsibility on either single side for the water security issues in the region, as both countries have similar infrastructure and inherited economic development priorities from the Soviet era. The effectiveness of Kazakhstan-Russia cooperation in addressing water security issues remains ambiguous: on the one hand, the parties strive to resolve existing problems constructively, but on the other hand, their willingness to undertake coordinated and costly steps is quite limited. Contributions. K. Abdrakhmanov conducted SWOT analysis of empirical issues related to transboundary rivers and (together with S. Golunov) issues of transboundary cooperation between Kazakhstan and Russia; S. Golunov conceptualized the problem of water security, applied it to the empirical parts of the work, and analyzed the issues of floods and threats to biodiversity; M. Muzdybayev collected and analyzed data on hydrography, hydrology, water use, and the environmental state of Kazakhstan's water basins; Ye. Karakulov and A. Kabdeshev categorized and compiled cartographic material for the hydrographic basins of Kazakhstan using the ArcGIS program.