On November 19, 2024, the international conference “Caspian Sea and Sustainable Development: Environmental Protection” was held within the framework of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). The event, organized by the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, gathered a wide range of participants in the Water Conference Hall located in the Green Zone.
The forum was attended by representatives of the Caspian littoral states, international experts, Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the project office of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) in Turkmenistan, Berkeli Ataev Director of the NGO “Tebigy Kuvvat”, Serdar Mammetniyazov renewable energy specialist at the Aarhus Center in Turkmenistan, Svetlana Mogilyuk Chairperson of ECOM NGO and Association “Civil Alliance of Pavlodar Region” in Kazakhstan, Dilovarsho Dustzoda ReCATH Project Manager, and Vladimir Grebnev CAREC regional specialist in the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Program.
The conference program included plenary sessions, thematic panels and discussions on key aspects of Caspian Sea environmental protection.
An important place among the agreements in the field of protection of water bodies and marine environment is given to the agreements on the Caspian Sea. The last two decades have seen positive developments in environmental cooperation among the Caspian littoral states, as evidenced by the signing of a number of multilateral documents. The coastal countries realize the importance of protecting the unique ecosystem of the Caspian Sea and the need to join efforts in this direction, and agreements in the field of environmental protection in the Caspian Sea have been signed, such as:
1. Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Tehran, November 4, 2003).
2. Protocol on Regional Preparedness, Response and Cooperation in the Event of Oil Pollution Incidents to the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Aktau, August 12, 2011).
3. Protocol for the Protection of the Caspian Sea against Pollution from Land-based Sources and Activities to the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Moscow, December 12, 2012).
4. Protocol on the Conservation of Biological Diversity to the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Ashgabat, May 30, 2014).
5. Protocol on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context to the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Moscow, July 20, 2018).
6. Agreement on the Conservation and Rational Use of Aquatic Biological Resources of the Caspian Sea (Astrakhan, September 29, 2014).
7. Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Prevention and Elimination of Emergency Situations in the Caspian Sea (Astrakhan, September 29, 2014).
8. Agreement on cooperation in the field of hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea (Astrakhan, September 29, 2014).
9. Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea (Aktau, August 12, 2018).
Thus, it should be noted that there is a fairly solid legal framework, plans and programs in the field of environmental protection in the Caspian Sea, as well as an organizational mechanism to ensure these documents in practice.
The forum participants discussed the implementation of the agreements, as well as ways to improve environmental policy in the region. Experts emphasized the need for Caspian countries to join efforts to protect the unique ecosystem of the sea, prevent environmental risks and adapt to climate change.
“The conference has become an important platform for sharing experience, discussing current environmental challenges and developing joint approaches to address them,” said Mergen Kepbanov.
The conference concluded with the decision of Caspian NGOs to create a “Caspian House Platform” to demonstrate joint efforts to protect the Caspian ecology.
Additional information:
Mergen Kepbanov, Director of CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan
