COP29 witnessed the launch of the Caspian Sea Climate and Sustainability Center to address the diverse challenges facing the Caspian Sea and propose potential solutions.

A roundtable discussion held on the sidelines of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, emphasized the critical need to protect the marine environment of the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest inland body of water, highlighting several environmental challenges it currently faces.

Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Founder of the International Dialogue for Environmental Action (IDEA) Public Association, participated in the roundtable discussion titled “Caspian Sea Basin: Assessing and Mitigating the Risks of Tipping Points,” held as part of COP29.

This event was organized collaboratively by the Port of Baku, the ADA University, the IDEA, the Caspian Integrated Scientific Network (CASPISNET), the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as reported by AZERTAC.

In her speech, Aliyeva stressed the importance of safeguarding the marine environment of the Caspian Sea and highlighted the environmental challenges it faces, including threats to seals, sturgeons, and salmon due to the worsening effects of climate change.

She also highlighted IDEA's conservation efforts, including projects like "Rich Basins" and "One Drop," along with initiatives associated with Gizilagag National Park. This park, established in partnership with the Blue Marine Foundation, is the first marine protected area in the Caspian Sea region.

In her closing remarks, Aliyeva emphasized the necessity for continuous monitoring and analysis to protect the unique ecosystem of the Caspian Sea. She urged international experts and research centers to collaborate on joint projects and initiatives.

Other speakers at the roundtable included Taleh Ziyadov, Director General of the Port of Baku; Galip Israfilov, Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva; and Pascal Peduzzi, Director of the Global Resources Database at UNEP in Geneva, who all shared their insights on the subject.

At the end of the session, the Caspian Center for Climate and Sustainability was launched, aimed at studying the diverse challenges facing the Caspian Sea and proposing viable solutions.