A Year That Changed Our Course

I am pleased to present the annual report of the Almaty Air Initiative Foundation.

For AAI, 2025 marked a period of institutional maturity. The issue of air quality has moved decisively beyond emotional debate into the domain of analytics and evidence-based policy and management decisions.

Over the past year, we deployed Asia’s largest private air quality monitoring network, comprising 170 stations, and for the first time measured air quality at socially significant public facilities. We also became the first organization in Central Asia to introduce Al-powered monitoring of airborne allergens. All data is available on dashboard.air.org.kz, one of the world’s most advanced air analytics platforms, developed by the Foundation from the ground up to make in-depth environmental analytics accessible to the public.

Acting as an expert bridge between science and government, we not only provide recommendations but also help institutionalize environmental innovation through legislation. On December 30, 2025, the Almaty City Maslikhat approved the Rules for the Protection of Atmospheric Air. The Foundation’s co-authorship of this document demonstrated that integrating private expertise into public policy is an effective tool for achieving systemic change.

In parallel, through high-impact art and media projects, we are transforming air quality from a technical issue into a powerful cultural trend and a catalyst for urban reform.

In 2025, we finalized our strategy into a proprietary model, the AIR-TARGET Framework. This intellectual know-how of the Foundation serves as our navigational system, enabling us to translate public demand into concrete solutions.

We operate according to a technology startup model: unafraid to step beyond conventional boundaries, working in short iterations, and continuously testing new formats. Data and research form the foundation of our decisions, allowing us to set the pace for urban change.

We have built a strong interdisciplinary team at the intersection of environmental science, data, urban studies, artificial intelligence, and geographic information systems. These experts can translate complex environmental data into practical models for urban development.

The Foundation’s work is made possible by the vision of its founders, Arsen Tomsky and Kairat Akhmetov. In 2025, our community of like-minded supporters expanded significantly, and we raised KZT 300 million in private investment. I am sincerely grateful to Nurlan Smagulov and the teams at MyCar and the Nurlan Smagulov Foundation, Umut Shayakhmetova and the team at Halyk Bank, as well as Almaz Tultayev, for their trust and contribution to the city’s future.

Our next phase focuses on deeper integration of AAI tools into regulatory processes, international expansion, and strengthening our position as a leading independent center of expertise.

Clean air is not a privilege – it is a fundamental right.

And today, we are closer than ever to restoring that right.

 

Zhuldyz Saulebekova

CEO, Almaty Air Initiative

The full version of the report is available at the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cVQpzGXPZnpUCdqomqG-sAx8WivOZEfG/view?usp=sharing