What environmental threats is the Caspian Sea facing?

The Caspian Sea is facing falling water levels, biodiversity loss, climate change impacts, and pollution.

What is the new UN protocol for the Caspian Sea region?

A new Protocol on Environmental Impact Assessment under the Tehran Convention requires major infrastructure projects to assess potential cross-border environmental impacts.

Which countries are involved in protecting the Caspian Sea?

The five Caspian littoral states—Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan—are involved in protecting the Caspian Sea through the Tehran Convention.

Home / Environment / Caspian Sea Faces Existential Threats, UN Acts

Caspian Sea Faces Existential Threats, UN Acts

15 Feb

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Summary

Caspian Sea faces falling water levels and biodiversity loss.
New UN protocol mandates cross-border environmental impact assessments.
Five Caspian states must cooperate to protect the sea's future.

Caspian Sea Faces Existential Threats, UN Acts

The Caspian Sea is confronting significant environmental challenges, including diminishing water levels and a loss of biodiversity. These escalating risks were recently highlighted at the United Nations by Azerbaijan, as new international regulations for large regional infrastructure projects took effect. Senior officials and environmental experts emphasized the need for ongoing monitoring, enhanced scientific data, and improved collaboration among the Caspian littoral states and international partners.

These diplomatic efforts align with a new Protocol on Environmental Impact Assessment under the Tehran Convention. This legally binding protocol mandates that major infrastructure projects, such as oil and gas facilities and transport corridors, undergo assessments for potential cross-border environmental impacts if requested by another Caspian state. Public access to these assessments and approval from affected nations are prerequisites for construction.