A high-level panel discussion titled "Falling sea levels, receding coastlines, sustainability and the future of closed water basins: The case of the Caspian Sea" was organized in Bonn, Germany, at the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the event was held from June 8 to 16 within the framework of the UN Climate Meetings (SB64).
Speaking at the opening of the event, which was organized in partnership with the IDEA Public Union, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the COP29 Azerbaijan Presidency, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Leyla Aliyeva noted that seas, rivers, and lakes are currently among the most sensitive ecosystems on our planet. She addressed issues such as the observed decline in the Caspian Sea's water level and the decrease in the population of Caspian seals and other marine life, emphasizing the importance of applying an approach based on knowledge, experience, and sustainable responsibility in solving such challenges. Initiatives implemented by the IDEA Public Union, such as water basin cleaning campaigns, the release of fish fry into water bodies, and the "One Drop" project, were highlighted as steps toward fostering a responsible attitude toward water as a source of life and sustainability.
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, COP31 Chief Executive Officer and Turkish Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Fatma Varank, and COP30 Chief Executive Officer Ana Toni spoke during the official part of the event. They emphasized the importance of keeping the challenges related to the falling level of the Caspian Sea and the ecological sustainability of closed water basins at the center of the global climate agenda.
The discussions continued in a panel session format. Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev, UNEP Climate Change Division Director Martin Krause, Great Whale Conservancy founder and Executive Director Michael Fishbach, IDEA Public Union expert Elnur Safarov, researcher from the Kazakhstan Caspian Sea Research Institute and the University of Oulu in Finland Aziza Baubekova, and Head of the SPECA MPTF Fund of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Kamala Huseynli exchanged views on the ecological, scientific, and socio-economic impacts of the falling water levels in the Caspian Sea. Participants noted that such events serve as important platforms for sharing scientific knowledge and experience, as well as for creating new partnership opportunities.
During the event, a short documentary film dedicated to the ecological problems of the Caspian Sea was also screened. The panel discussions concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session.
The Bonn Climate Change Conference (SB64) serves as a critical preparatory meeting for the annual COP summits. By bringing together international experts and policymakers, these sessions facilitate the development of strategies to address global environmental crises, including the specific vulnerabilities of closed inland seas like the Caspian, which are increasingly affected by climate change and anthropogenic factors.
