On May 28, Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan’s Presidential Envoy for Climate Issues, warned during the Astana International Forum that the Caspian Sea must not become another ecological catastrophe like Iran’s Lake Urmia or the Aral Sea in Central Asia.
Babayev announced that Azerbaijan had taken the initiative to organize a summit focused on the Caspian’s declining water levels, adding that its date and agenda would be disclosed in the coming weeks. He stated, “We have invited all Caspian littoral states to engage in consultations and open dialogue on this critical issue,” noting that ministries and agencies from these countries were actively working to finalize the summit’s details.
Drawing parallels to the environmental disasters of Lake Urmia and the Aral Sea, Babayev stressed that the Caspian faces similar risks, calling for urgent and collective action. He emphasized that addressing the problem requires a cooperative, multinational strategy underpinned by shared responsibility and international expertise, particularly guidance from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Babayev also noted that Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan were already collaborating closely on the matter.