Since its entry into force in 2007, the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Tehran Convention) has been celebrated annually on August 12 as Caspian Day. This observance unites the millions of residents across the five littoral states who share a deep connection through environmental, economic activities, energy, fisheries, and transportation.
The Tehran Convention marked a pivotal moment, transitioning Caspian Sea governance from voluntary commitments to a legally binding framework for environmental protection. It elevated regional cooperation to new heights, aiming to conserve, restore, and sustainably utilize the sea’s biological resources.
Turkmenistan joined the Convention in 2003 and led the way by ratifying it in 2004. The Convention is a dynamic instrument, continually evolving through the work of expert working groups from the five littoral states. These groups are dedicated to developing new protocols and promoting the ratification and implementation of existing ones.
Gozel Orazdurdieva, National Liaison Officer with the Secretariat of the Tehran Convention, shared insights into the latest developments related to the Convention in an interview with the Neutral Turkmenistan Newspaper:
-As known, within the framework of the Caspian Environmental Program, four protocols to the Tehran Convention have been developed and adopted over the years: on regional preparedness, response and cooperation in the event of incidents causing oil pollution (for short, oil spills, or Aktau protocol); on land–based sources of pollution and activities related to them (Moscow protocol); on the conservation of biological diversity (Ashgabat protocol); on environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context.
In November 2023 the Moscow Protocol came into force. Aktau and Moscow protocols have been ratified by all the countries of the Caspian region, which is the best confirmation of the steady commitment of the states to move forward in the protection and conservation of the nature of the Caspian Sea.
The Moscow Protocol outlines comprehensive measures to prevent, control, and minimize pollution from land-based sources affecting the Caspian Sea and its coastal areas. This includes pollutants originating from point and non-point sources on land, entering the sea via waterways, atmosphere, or directly from the shoreline. To enhance protocol implementation and reduce pollution influx, the development of national action plans targeting pollution hotspots is proposed.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection is responsible for the implementation of the Moscow Protocol in Turkmenistan. The ministry’s Environmental Protection Department, in collaboration with the Caspian Environmental Control Service (Khazarokontrol), is responsible for overseeing environmental conditions in Turkmenistan’s Caspian waters and coordinating related activities. Khazarokontrol also enforces environmental laws, safeguards ecosystems, promotes rational water use, and inventories land-based pollution sources.
The Service’s hydrochemical laboratory is integral to the Convention’s environmental monitoring program. In June 2024, a representative from Turkmenistan participated in a Baku meeting to discuss the program’s structure, content, and underlying principles.
To date, within the framework of the Aktau Protocol, the countries are working on a draft plan for regional cooperation to combat oil pollution in cases of emergency in the Caspian Sea, and work is underway to finalize protocol’s annexes. All Caspian littoral countries have conducted command and staff exercises “Caspian Sea Alpha/BRAVO” aimed at introducing responsible personnel with the use and national treatment of the pollution reporting template, testing communication lines for requesting help, as well as proving the response readiness.
The fifth exercises within the framework of the Aktau Protocol, were conducted in November 2023 by specialists of the agency “Turkmendeñizderýaýollary” [Turkmen marine and river ways].
At present, within the framework of the Aktau Protocol, the draft plan for regional cooperation in cases of such an emergency in the Caspian Sea is being finalized, and its discussion will take place this fall in Baku (Azerbaijan), for which the executive and operational bodies of this annex to the Tehran Convention will meet.
Simultaneously, the Tehran Convention is spearheading new environmental initiatives. With the Global Environment Facility’s support, the “Blueing the Caspian Sea” project will bolster regional capacity to combat pollution, safeguard marine ecosystems, and preserve biodiversity. Key components include environmental education, marine habitat protection, aquatic health, sustainable coastal management, and pollution prevention. These priorities remain essential for the long-term health of the Caspian Sea, and the five littoral states are committed to maximizing project impact.
Pollution’s detrimental effects on biodiversity hinder ecosystems’ self-cleaning abilities, leading to degradation of marine and coastal life. The new project aims to create an integrated biodiversity protection system encompassing the entire Caspian Sea. A balanced marine ecosystem is vital for the region’s economic, social, and cultural well-being, underpinning sustainable development.
///nCa, 8 August 2024