Azerbaijan has proposed establishing a regional legal framework by the end of this year to monitor the Caspian Sea's rapidly declining water levels and to develop adaptation strategies. The announcement comes as the world's largest inland body of water is shrinking at an accelerated pace.
Aliagha Azizov, deputy head of Azerbaijan's State Water Resources Agency, stated that the Caspian Sea's water level has dropped by approximately one meter over the past five years, 1.5 meters in the last decade, and 2.5 meters over the last 30 years. He indicated that the sea is currently receding at a rate of 20-30 centimeters annually, which is significantly faster than global sea-level rise. Azizov emphasized that the process is irreversible and adaptation is the primary objective.
Scientific studies confirm that the water levels of the Caspian Sea, bordered by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Iran, and Turkmenistan, have been falling since the mid-1990s. Azizov identified climate change, reduced rainfall in the sea basin, increased evaporation due to rising temperatures, and diminished river flows as the principal contributing factors.
The consequences of this shrinkage pose significant risks to various sectors, including ports, shipping, fisheries, coastal tourism, and offshore oil and gas infrastructure, Azizov noted. He further explained that while the five surrounding nations are collaborating to safeguard the environment, a comprehensive regional monitoring system is currently lacking.
Azizov expressed optimism that the proposed legal framework for regional cooperation, which would encompass monitoring, data exchange, joint scientific research, forecasting, and adaptation measures, could be finalized within the current year. This initiative aims to enhance collaborative efforts among the Caspian littoral states to address the escalating environmental challenges.
