Featured news and stories

Inception Workshop on the “Addressing Marine Litter and Marine Plastics – A Systemic Approach in the Caspian Sea” Project held on 8 April 2025

An online Inception Workshop for the joint UNEP-UNDP project “Addressing Marine Litter and Marine Plastics – A Systemic Approach in the Caspian Sea” took place, bringing together representatives of the Caspian littoral states, regional stakeholders, and international partners.

Declaration of the Caspian Ministers and Senior Officials was adopted at COP29

Ministers and senior officials from the five Caspian littoral states – Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan – have adopted a groundbreaking Declaration on Strengthening Cooperation to Address the Caspian Sea Water Level Decline. The Declaration, issued at COP29, underscores the urgency of tackling the ongoing and projected decline in the Caspian Sea’s water levels, which poses significant ecological, economic, and social challenges.

IPCC address to the participants of the “Caspian Sea Water Decline in light of climate change” event under UNFCCC COP29 Presidency is now available online

Pre-Appraisal Mission on the "Blueing the Caspian Sea" GEF Project was held in Astana on 3-6 December 2024

December 3–6, 2024, a mission led by the World Bank and UNEP convened in Astana, Kazakhstan, bringing together government representatives from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. The primary focus of the mission was to advance discussions on the design and preparation of the GEF-funded "Blueing the Caspian Sea: Building Capacities for Pollution Management and Biodiversity Conservation" Project, set to launch in 2025.

Regional Virtual Meeting on the "Blueing the Caspian Sea" Project Preparation was held on 31 October – 1 November 2024

The Regional Virtual Meeting on Project Preparation for the GEF-funded initiative, “Blueing the Caspian Sea: Building Capacities for Pollution Management and Biodiversity Conservation”, took place on 31 October – 1 November 2024. This event, attended by key stakeholders from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, the World Bank, UNEP, and UNOPS, marked a step forward in addressing the pressing environmental challenges facing the Caspian Sea region.

Implementation and Operational Authorities Meeting under the Aktau Protocol was held on 8-10 October 2024

The Operational Authorities responsible for implementing the Aktau Protocol convened from October 8-10, 2024, in Aktau, Kazakhstan, to enhance regional cooperation and preparedness in combating oil pollution incidents in the Caspian Sea.

“Meet the Caspian Sea”: Side Event Highlights Caspian Sea Resilience at COP29

Climate change, pollution, and unsustainable exploitation threaten Caspian Sea delicate balance. Against this backdrop, COP29 featured an interactive side event titled “Meet the Caspian Sea: Enhancing Coastal Resilience and Biodiversity Protection through the Tehran Convention under Climate Change Impacts”, held on November 19 at the Azerbaijan Pavilion.

COP29: Leaders Unite to Address Caspian Sea Water Level Crisis

At COP29 in Baku, regional leaders and experts came together to confront an alarming reality: the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest inland body of water, is shrinking. Climate change is driving its water levels to plummet, threatening ecosystems, livelihoods, and regional stability.