Saving Caspian Sea from pollution with international cooperation

As the largest lake in the world, the Caspian Sea is exposed to pollution from houses, industries, oil and agriculture.
A convention for protection of the Caspian Sea was made in 1382 and came into force among five littoral states since Mordad 21, 1385. According to the United Nation Environment Program Mordad21 (August 12) is known as the “Caspian Sea day”. With an area of 600,384 square km, the sea is rich in terms of biodiversity and has about 400 indigenous aquatic species the most important of which are sturgeons the area around it reaches 7000km. It is ranked third in the world after the Persian Gulf and Siberia Sea in terms of its oil and gas resources in the shore and under the sea.
The sea has provided the inhabitants in the region with thousands of job opportunities and is therefore the main income resource.
Excessive human activities and hasty and careless economic exploitation have destroyed the natural ecosystem, polluted the environment, and lowered the water quality. Human interference is threatening the sea in several ways: hasty interference in the sea like destruction and exploitation of the land for too many irregular construction purposes such as building docks and ports, tourism complexes, residential and commercial buildings, development of exploitation and extraction of fossil resources under the sea, overfishing (especially of sturgeons) destruction of habitat and dumping urban, industrial, and agricultural wastes right into the rivers.
Among today’s environmental threats to the sea which have disrupted the natural condition of the sea are :heavy burden of pollutions of the rivers running to the sea due to known and unknown factors, inappropriate human treatment with the resources on the shore, coastline poor management, huge physical changes within rivers like building dams, and extracting sand etc. Unfortunately, precious species like sturgeons and seals (as the only mammals of the ecosystem) are on the endangered species list and the ecological and economic life of the Caspian Sea is affected.

Tehran convention

Literal states concerns over ever-increasing environmental destruction made them take action and start making efforts to protect and save the Caspian Sea environment. They recognized regulations of the committed governments and emphasized protection and restoration of living resources for the current and next generations and tried to define a plan for its conservation along with international organizations since Ordibehesht, 1377(1998).
They signed the convention and celebrated its implementation as a historic event in Mordad 21, 1385 (August 12, 2006). This day is a turning point in the history of the Caspian Sea environmental cooperation.
Five littoral states took into account the Caspian sea destruction due to pollution from different human activities such as dumping hazardous waste, marine and land-based pollutions and the dangers of tides in the water level.

Protocols added to convention

Interim secretariat of the convention, UNEP and member states prepared and reviewed four protocols in various sessions in the last couple of years.

Protocol of preparation, reaction, and regional cooperation to fight oil pollution

On Sunday, Mordad 15, 1391, an open session in the parliament was held in line with the implementation of the Article 123 of Iran’s constitution and the Guardians Council passed the protocol. The president sent it over to the Environment Protection Organization to be implemented. 90 days after ratification by all member states it was necessary for their parliaments to put it into action. At the moment all countries except Kazakhstan have approved it in their parliaments.
Strategic status of the sea in Europe and Southeast Asia has made it the major route to transport goods across Europe, littoral states, Turkey, Middle East and East Asia. But since it is landlocked it is exposed to more threats.
The protocol deals with the ways to fight oil pollution in the sea due to marine incidents based on which the committed countries should act tactfully to prepare and combat pollution, set up a national system to fight by the member states and make practical, operational and technical guidelines.
The Aktau protocol was signed among littoral states officials in the third session of the states parties to the convention in Kazakestan after examinations and studies over years. According to the Article 8 of the protocol each contracting party is committed to prepare and react to oil leaks. According to the Article 9 they should all take necessary actions to ensure ships carry the flag of Oil Pollution Emergency Plan based on the international regulations.

The Caspian Sea protection protocol for pollution from resources and land-based activities

The fourth conference of the member states of the Tehran convention was held along with ministers and minister deputies of the state parties environment in Moscow in Azar 20-22, 1391( December 10-12,2012)
The protocol ratified to conserve the Caspian Sea from pollution due to land-based resources and activities by all member states was signed by Iran and Turkmenistan in the conference. Russia and Kazakestan signed it within 6 months and Azerbaijan joined them directly through its parliament afterwards. The protocol addresses reducing land-based resources pollution in the sea. Its draft was re-examined by regional states experts, finalized and eventually ratified. The Islamic Parliament of Iran approved its generalities in an open session in 1394.5.18.

Biodiversity protection protocol

It revolves around biodiversity conservation of the sea and emphasizes species and habitats protection. It was ratified in the fifth conference of the state parties to the convention held in Turkmenistan in Ordibehesht 1393 and signed by Iran and Turkmenistan Environment ministers.
The other countries will do it within a specified time or approve it directly in their parliaments. It has received the cabinet approval and is on its way to be ratified by the parliament.

Evaluating overseas environmental effects protocol

The countries involved were committed to study and evaluate the environmental impact before huge projects, which are supposed to have bad overseas effects on the littoral states and send reports to the convention secretariat and requesting member states. It is still ongoing.