Alarming decline in the Caspian Sea

president Ilham Aliyev Azerbaijan has expressed concern over the “catastrophic” shrinkage of the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest inland body of water. Reuters reportsThe sea is located between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, and is bordered by Russia to the north and Iran and Turkmenistan to the south.

Water levels in the Caspian Sea have fluctuated dramatically over the past century, but research has shown that they have been falling since the mid-1990s. Aliyev recently showed Russian President Vladimir Putin rocks that were underwater two years ago. Now they are one meter above the surface.

Azerbaijan’s concerns

Aliyev said he and Putin agreed to analyze the situation, which he said was developing into an environmental catastrophe. Nazim Mahmudov, from Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Ecology, explained that the levels were affected by increased evaporation linked to climate change.

Changes in the Caspian Sea level affect not only the environment, but also the economic sectors, especially offshore oil and gas activities. Mahmudov urged global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The next UN climate talks, COP21, are scheduled to be held in Baku in November.

Key points

• The Caspian Sea has been shrinking rapidly since the mid-1990s.
• Climate change is a major factor in sea level rise.
• Global efforts are needed to address this problem.

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