The Caspian Sea, long seen as a stable natural, economic and transport resource for the region, is changing rapidly. Its falling water level is no longer a topic only for scientists and environmentalists. Today, it has become an issue of national security, logistics, energy, fisheries, port infrastructure and the future of coastal cities. The problem is especially acute for Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan — two countries for which the Caspian is not just a sea, but a crucial element of economic development, international trade and geopolitical positioning.

At the COP29 climate conference in Baku, ministers and senior officials from Caspian states adopted a crucial declaration aimed at enhancing regional cooperation to tackle the alarming decline in the Caspian Sea’s water levels.

A meeting titled “Caspian Sea Water Decline in Light of Climate Change” was held at the Azerbaijani pavilion during COP29, focusing on the critical issue of sea-level changes in the Caspian Sea.

Editor's note: Dr. Aizhan Skakova, expert, member of the Public Chamber under the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

As of early 2024, 1.9 billion cubic meters of water have been delivered to the North Aral Sea, increasing its total volume to 22 billion cubic meters, News.Az reports citing The Times of Central Asia.

Rising sea levels could severely disrupt crude oil shipments and erode energy security in import-dependent countries like China, South Korea and Japan, with many of the world's biggest terminals vulnerable to flooding, researchers said on Tuesday, News.Az reports citing Reuters.