Azerbaijan adopted NBSAP

By Azernews

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan, situated at the juncture of several bio-geographical areas, contains species of European, Central Asian and Mediterranean origin and forms an integral part of the Caucasus Ecoregion.

The country is currently in the process of updating its NBSAP for the 2017-2020 period, including developing national biodiversity targets, with the global framework being taken into account.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has recently signed a decree approving the "National Strategy for the Protection and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity in Azerbaijan for 2017-2020 years".

The coordination over the implementation of the national strategy has been entrusted to the Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry, according to the order.

The Ministry was tasked to inform the president about the work done in connection with the implementation of the national strategy within a year.

The richness and biodiversity of Azerbaijan just amaze.  Approximately 4,500 species of vascular plants have been recorded in the country, of which 210 are considered endemic. 

The number of endemic fish species in the Caspian Sea region is very high, and includes one lamprey species, 11 herring species, 24 species of Caspian gobies and five anadromous sturgeon species, all of which are fished commercially. The Caspian seal is the only resident endemic mammal. 

The country is especially noted for fruit and nut trees, and the forests of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains and the Talish Mountains contain wild ancestors of apples, persimmons, walnuts, chestnuts, pistachios and many other species that have been widely domesticated into many different varieties and strains. 

2010 was declared the Year of Ecology in Azerbaijan. Within the scope of the Year of Ecology various activities are realized, e-resources on specific fields are prepared, educational measures among the population are enhanced.