Azerbaijan leads regional push on Caspian Sea level crisis at COP30

A high-level event dedicated to the issue of the declining Caspian Sea level was held at the Azerbaijan Pavilion during COP30 in the city of Belém, Brazil, Azernews reports, citing Azertag.

The event was organized at Azerbaijan’s initiative by the COP29 Presidency, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, and the Interim Secretariat of the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Tehran Convention).

The meeting was attended by heads and senior representatives of relevant environmental authorities from the Caspian littoral states, as well as senior officials from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UN-Habitat, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and other invited participants.

The event aimed to raise awareness of the historically rapid and multidimensional decline in the Caspian Sea level and to strengthen regional solidarity.

COP29 President and Azerbaijan’s Special Representative for Climate Affairs, Mukhtar Babayev, spoke about the impacts of the falling Caspian Sea level on ecosystems, coastal infrastructure and economic activity, as well as on the well-being of populations living in coastal areas. He emphasized that the challenges arising from this process can only be effectively addressed through joint efforts, scientifically grounded approaches, and regional coordination.

It was noted that the President of Azerbaijan has consistently raised this issue at the global level—at the 2022 Summit of the Heads of State of the Caspian Littoral Countries in Ashgabat and at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly this year. Azerbaijan has also proposed the establishment of a five-party joint working group to ensure coordinated action on the declining water level of the Caspian Sea.

Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Umayra Taghiyeva, emphasized that the Caspian Sea level has been steadily decreasing in recent years, accelerated by reduced river inflows, rising temperatures, and increased evaporation. She stressed the serious risks associated with future changes in sea level, highlighting the importance of scientifically based decisions, regional cooperation, and adaptation measures.

Representatives of Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan provided detailed information on national observations, emerging scientific trends, and the priority areas identified by their governments for the Caspian basin. Discussions underscored the need to enhance the responsibility of Caspian littoral states, support science-based decision-making, and ensure unified, coordinated efforts across the region.

Additionally, representatives of UNEP, UN-Habitat and WMO expressed readiness to cooperate and provide technical support in strengthening observation and monitoring systems in the Caspian basin, supporting sustainable settlement and development planning for coastal communities, improving water balance assessments, and expanding scientific research across the region.

At the end of the meeting, the “Joint Statement of Ministers and High-Level Representatives of the Caspian Littoral States on Strengthening Cooperation on the Declining Water Level of the Caspian Sea” was adopted.

The statement refers to the Baku Declaration adopted at COP29 in Baku last year, highlighting that the Caspian states continue to uphold their previous commitments. It notes that the Baku Declaration laid the foundation for scientific cooperation, information exchange, and coordinated action, while the new Joint Statement adopted at COP30 aims to further strengthen efforts in this direction.

The document expresses intentions to enhance cooperation in scientific research, monitoring and information exchange. It also reflects a shared commitment to joint action with the UN system, the promotion of collaborative projects, and the long-term sustainable development and resilience of the Caspian region.

It should be noted that the issue of the declining Caspian Sea level has now been raised for the third consecutive time—starting from COP28—at high-level events initiated by Azerbaijan within its pavilion at UN climate conferences.