BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 18. A high-level event dedicated to the decline of the Caspian Sea’s water level was held at the Azerbaijan pavilion during COP30 in Belém, Brazil, organized on Azerbaijan’s initiative, Trend reports.
The event was jointly hosted 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 brought together heads and senior representatives of environmental authorities from Caspian littoral states, as well as officials from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), UN-Habitat, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), and other invited experts. The discussions focused on the historically rapid and multifaceted decline of the Caspian Sea level, aiming to raise awareness and strengthen regional cooperation.
Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President and Azerbaijan’s Special Representative on Climate Issues, emphasized the impacts of declining sea levels on ecosystems, coastal infrastructure, economic activities, and the welfare of populations living in coastal areas.
“The challenges created by this process can only be addressed effectively through joint efforts, science-based approaches, and regional coordination,” he said.
The official highlighted that President Ilham Aliyev has consistently raised the issue at both the Summit of Heads of State of the Caspian Littoral States in Ashgabat in 2022 and the 80th session of the UN General Assembly this year. Additionally, Azerbaijan proposed the creation of a five-party joint working group to facilitate coordinated action addressing the decline in the Caspian Sea level.
Umayra Taghiyeva, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, highlighted that the decline has accelerated in recent years due to reduced river flows, rising temperatures, and increased evaporation. She stressed the importance of science-based decisions, regional collaboration, and adaptation measures to mitigate the risks.
Representatives from Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan shared insights on national observations, emerging scientific trends, and government priorities in the Caspian basin. UNEP, UN-Habitat, and WMO pledged technical support and cooperation to strengthen monitoring systems, promote sustainable coastal development, assess water balances, and expand regional scientific research.
The event concluded with the adoption of a Joint Declaration of Caspian littoral states’ ministers and senior representatives to enhance cooperation on the sea level decline issue. The declaration reinforces commitments from the previous year’s Baku Declaration adopted at COP29 and emphasizes the continued importance of scientific collaboration, data sharing, and coordinated regional action.
This marks the third consecutive high-level event on the Caspian Sea level decline organized under Azerbaijan’s initiative at UN climate conferences since COP28.
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