Baku conference urges action to save Caspian Sea
An international conference in Baku on October 2–3 urged international cooperation and concrete climate action to tackle urgent challenges facing the Caspian Sea, including falling sea levels, biodiversity loss, coastal ecosystem degradation, and pollution.
The event, titled “Caspian Sea Tipping Point: Transition from COP29 and UNOC 2025 Outcomes to Action on COP30,” was organized at the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder and head of the IDEA Public Union, News.Az reports, citing local media.
At the opening session, COP29 President and Azerbaijan’s Presidential Representative on Climate Issues Mukhtar Babayev, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Rauf Hajiyev, Great Whale Conservancy Co-Founder and Executive Director Michael Fishbach, Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Center under Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Agriculture Jeyhun Aliyev, Baku International Sea Trade Port Chief Operating Officer Eugene Seah, and GRID-Geneva Director at UNEP Pascal Peduzzi (joining online) emphasized the urgent need for international cooperation and coordinated strategies to protect the Caspian Sea. They also stressed that the key outcomes of Azerbaijan’s COP29 Presidency should be translated into concrete actions for effective climate change mitigation.
The conference continued with sessions involving representatives from the COP29 Presidency, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), UN-Habitat, and scientific institutions from multiple countries. Discussions focused on regional collaboration for Caspian Sea protection, water resource management, and strengthening international coordination, with participants underscoring the importance of scientific cooperation to address these urgent environmental challenges.
Co-organized by IDEA and the Caspisnet Scientific Network, the conference brought together scientists and experts from more than 10 countries specializing in marine ecology, sustainable aquaculture, hydrology, and geographic information systems. Topics included Caspian Sea level changes, marine biodiversity, maintaining ecological balance, and exploring joint solutions.
The event also included a tour of Absheron National Park, giving participants an opportunity to observe firsthand the Caspian Sea’s rich biodiversity.
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